The Rider of Urû'baen
by Shadow Riku
Summary: Chapter 15 up! A human girl from Uru'baen has been gifted...or cursed... with a dragon. Teaming up with Eragon and Murtagh, can they hope to save Alagaesia from Galbatorix? Does not follow Eldest.
1. The Raid: Part One

_Author's Note:_

_Considering how long I've been away from this fanfiction, I have decided to start editing the chapters I have already written before furthering it._

Summary:

_The Rider of Urû'baen_ focuses around a girl named Kaiya and how she and a rebel group manage to steal the two remaining eggs from Galbatorix's castle. It starts out in Urû'baen around the time when Eragon left Dras-Leona with Murtagh. Galbatorix has left his castle for the first time in ten years (which was mentioned in the book) to go to Dras-Leona, giving a small rebel group in the city a chance to steal the eggs. Reviewing would be much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.

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Chapter One

It was night, and brilliant white flashes of lightning danced across the sky, followed quickly by deep rolls of thunder. The sun had disappeared beyond the horizon long ago, casting the land of Alagaësia into darkness. Icy cold rain pelted the empty streets of Urû'baen mercilessly. Suddenly the creak of a door opening could be heard and a tall, cloaked man stepped out into the rain. The man looked around impatiently, his hidden face peering down the empty street.

"Are you searching for someone?" a young voice asked. The man whirled around quickly. His hand settled on the handle of a sword hidden under the cloak. When he spotted who it was he let out a relieved breath, though from under his hood his eyes flashed anger and annoyance.

"I told you to wait in the inn," he snapped. In front of him was a girl of fifteen, her hands on her hips. Long ebony hair stretched down to her chest, and her bright eyes sparkled emerald. She shrugged and walked up slowly to him, ignoring the rain that soaked her clothes. "I grew bored. Besides, Tesu told me to come." She frowned suddenly, remembering the recent conversation with her older brother. "Yes, he told me to come directly to you and to say that the message was very important and urgent." The cloaked man gave the girl a fierce look. "What of Tesu? Tell me, Kaiya! This could ruin all of our planning."

Kaiya shivered from the cold and repeated the message Tesu had passed to her. "Tesu said to take me in his place. He suspects that someone has caught on to our plans and has been spying on him. No one else is trustworthy enough for this, and no one will _ever_ suspect me of taking his place." She gave the man a pleading look. "Please Jevden? I can do it… I know I can!" Her mouth opened to continue begging, but the man held up his hand. He looked troubled, but finally he agreed. "Is Tesu sure of this?"

The girl nodded eagerly, "Yes! Tesu had to drag me into a corner of the inn to speak to me without any eavesdroppers. He said that Galbatorix will be back from Dras-Leona by midday tomorrow and all of the planning we have done will have gone to waste. We have to do this _tonight_!" Kaiya's words seemed to have finally convinced Jevden. He pushed back his hood and muttered in a low voice, "Then it is settled. The others await my signal in the alley near the stables. We must hurry." Glancing quickly down the street and seeing it was still deserted, he started walking at a brisk pace. As a flash of lightning lit up the ebony sky, Galbatorix's castle could be seen looming in the distance.

A pleased look crossed Kaiya's face and she started after Jevden immediately. It seemed that all of the eavesdropping she had done over Jevden and Tesu's mysterious group had paid off. Jevden was her guardian, since her father had died when she was only thirteen. He had been a slightly large man with brown hair and intense chocolate-brown eyes that could make you tremble when he was mad. Before he had died, Kaiya could remember the lengthy meetings held in her father's study. Jevden often came to them and spoke cheerfully with her before leaving. Many other men also came to these meetings, but most of them frightened Kaiya so badly that she would turn and run at their appearance.

Then one day her brother started joining the meetings. Kaiya could remember asking crossly why Tesu could join them when she was always told to go play. Tesu would cross his arms and say haughtily, "Because I am older." Her father would then pick her up and say in his deep voice, "Because they are boring and serve as a good punishment for Tesu. Do not worry yourself over these things, Kai."

But Kaiya would not allow this as a just answer. She made it a habit of sneaking to the oak door of the study and pressing her ear stubbornly against the wood, determined to find out what they were talking about. For the most part, all that she accomplished was a sore ear and being told off if she was caught. However, usually she could pick up a few certain words from the muffled voices. 'Galbatorix' was a word that was frequently used. Perhaps it was the way they said it, but Kaiya often felt chills go down her spine at the mention of the name.

This went on for two full years, from the time before her father died until quite recently. As she grew older, Kaiya could piece together some of the information she heard, but not all of it. Her suspicions of the meetings grew. Finally Jevden gave in to her persistent prodding and flat out told her the truth. Her father had been one of the main leaders of a small rebel group in Urû'baen. The meetings held in her house were about Galbatorix, the hidden dragon eggs in his castle, and many other things. This left Kaiya speechless, to say the least. Speaking ill of Galbatorix resulted certainly in death. What would the king do if he found out that her father had been in charge of a rebel group?

When Kaiya told them of these things, Tesu laughed bitterly, his eyes gleaming unusually brightly with hatred. "But Galbatorix _did_ find out. How do you think Father died, Kai? What did you think happened to him when he came home with a sword wound? A soldier of Galbatorix tried to kill him." His voice suddenly dropped to a low growl, "And he succeeded."

It was then that all of the memories of her father's death came rushing back to her. Her father, his shirt stained with fresh blood, his face deathly pale He had spent a week in bed, recovering from his wound, when his illness struck. Too weak to fight it off, her beloved father died the next day. That was when Kaiya fiercely decided that she would join the rebels. After her father died, she came to the fixed conclusion that Galbatorix had killed her father. Although it took some time of persuading, Jevden finally caved in.

Suddenly Jevden stopped his brisk pace and Kaiya nearly bumped into him. "Hey!" she cried, but her mouth snapped shut when she saw what lay before the two. A dozen of the most skilled swordsmen in their small rebel group stood in the narrow alleyway, each cloaked and alert. Three archers also waited, their quivers and bows sticking up from behind their backs. One of the swordsmen who had been leaning against a wall stood up swiftly and asked in a sharp voice, "Where's Tesu?"

"I'm taking his place," Kaiya blurted out. She cowered slightly behind Jevden as she saw the dark looks exchanged by the rebels. A murmur of voices erupted from all of them, doubt and worry behind each one.

"Do not worry about it," Jevden said sternly above the voices, glaring at each one of the men. "Galbatorix and his men know nothing of our plans. This is our final chance before he returns. Whispers of a new Rider have been carried throughout the land of Alagaësia, but we cannot wait for these rumors to be confirmed. Galbatorix will be the least of our worries if this mysterious Rider sides with him. At least with a Rider of our choosing we can fight back."

A couple of the men nodded in agreement, but worry was still etched clearly on every man's face. Jevden looked out at the castle and back. "We must go. Tom, you lead your men first." A dirty man with tangled black hair nodded and started out into the open street. Five other men filed after him, each glancing from the castle to each other anxiously.

"Archers, you know what you must do. After we get close enough to the main wall, you must act quickly. If one guard has time to sound an alarm we can go no further. Take aim carefully—it's hard to see in this light—and move instantly." He looked at the leader of the other six swordsmen, a broad man with shaggy brown hair and a beard to match. "Ross, after the archers take care of the guards, move in. We need three swordsmen to keep post there. The others can advance as well as the archers. Once we get inside, Kaiya and I will break away from the group and get to the room." Jevden smiled grimly, "Then we shall have to make out escape. If we make it this far, we'll have to get out of Urû'baen immediately. Now let's go."

Kaiya gulped and tried wringing out her drenched hair as she watched the archers and other men make their way towards the castle. Her stomach felt knotted and twisted, and her entire body was numb. It was as if she was just now realizing what she had truly gotten herself into. Jevden gave her a concerned look after the others filed out and then left himself. Suddenly she realized something.

"Jev!" she whispered hoarsely, trailing after him. "Even if we _do_ make it in and out of the castle, how are we going to make it out of Urû'baen and far enough away? The guards will find out soon enough, and then there will be a thousand soldiers on our tail!"

Jevden kept walking, but he cast a weak smile at Kaiya. "There will be horses waiting just outside of the city. All we have to do is reach them." His smile faded suddenly, and a look of sadness crossed his face. "I'm sorry I had you involved, little one. I'm sure your father wouldn't have been very pleased with this idea. Now there is no way you can stay in Urû'baen."

Kaiya made a face at being called 'little one', but she also slipped her arm through his and smiled. "That is okay. Father left you in charge of me, so he obviously trusted your judgment. Besides, I wouldn't mind leaving the city. I'd like to see Alagaësia… all of it!"

The group made their way up to the castle swiftly. All the while, Jev would whisper instructions to Kaiya involving the plan. Listening carefully, she absorbed all the information and kept the worries that plagued her mind to herself. _So there are two dragon eggs to capture. What if we can't find the room, or what if the room is too heavily guarded?_ As a thought crossed her mind, her throat went dry and it felt as if her heart skipped a beat. _What if something happens to Jev? What will happen to me? Will they make me a prisoner, or kill me?_ _I—_

When the outer wall of the castle came into view, Kaiya felt thoroughly sick to her stomach. She watched without breathing as Jevden motioned for the archers to advance. As she watched them take aim, her eyes darted up the stone wall and she counted the guards silently. _One…two…three…four…_ Lightning streaked through the sky, illuminating the castle for a few quick seconds before it plunged back into darkness. Each guard was positioned with some distance in between them, but would that stop them from seeing their fellow man being shot?

Three arrows suddenly streaked through the air. A low rumble of thunder drowned the dull buzzing of the arrows out. Kaiya winced as she watched the arrows get closer and closer to their target.

Each arrow hit a guard square in the chest. The first two dropped dead instantly with an unheard thud, but the third staggered backwards and tried in vain to detect the enemy. Any noise made by him could not be heard over the storm. One of the archers grimaced and let another arrow go quickly, hitting the guard in the chest again.

This time the shot proved fatal for the guard. He collapsed, body slumped over the edge of the wall. Another archer got the fourth guard, and then Jevden started closer, motioning for everyone to follow. Kaiya felt herself stagger forward, the image of two arrows protruding from the guard's chest still engraved in her mind. They made their way up an unstable-looking ladder, where three of the swordsmen made their post. Now it was time for the real challenge.


	2. The Raid: Part Two

_Author's Note:_

_'Lo everyone. Chapter Two has been slightly modified, and Chapter Three is on the way. Thanks to all the new reviewers (or, I should say, reviewer) for reading. And now on to the story!_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.

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Chapter Two

Kaiya felt relieved when her feet finally touched the soft, moist grass. By then the rain had let up slightly, but she still felt it tug at her drenched clothes and hair. Jevden reached the ground right after her and they waited for the rest of the men to come down from the ladder. Each small noise made her cringe and listen over the rain for the sounds of guards yelling.

But the guards did not hear, and the group started towards the castle once more. A sound of muffled footsteps caused everybody to tense considerably. Some of the swordsmen started unsheathing their weapon, but Jevden shook his head vigorously. "Wait," he whispered, barely audible over the wind.

"Hello?" a nervous voiced asked. Kaiya frowned, thinking that the voice sounded definitely out of place. "I-It is Fendal!" The voice squeaked.

"Fendal?" Jevden repeated. "Is everything still set?"

A lanky servant of the castle appeared in front of them, his face pale with fright. "Yes, of course Jevden, sir! I am here to lead you through the back way. It should not be a problem. Follow me, but be wary! King Galbatorix has stationed many guards outside the castle since his leave. Inside is a different story. Galbatorix has grown careless with the security indoors."

A smile tugged at Jevden's face. "Then that shall be to our advantage. Lead on, Fendal."

Fendal gazed at the group, his expression growing puzzled at the sight of the young girl in their party, but then turned around and wordlessly led them across the grass to the castle. Eventually the servant led them to where a large wooden door stood out plainly against the gray stone. Fendal groped in his pockets for a key and they made their way into the menacing-looking castle. Three more of the swordsmen posted themselves at the door, looking with regret as the others escaped from the rain.

Fendal grabbed a lantern that had been left on the floor and started forward once again. The sounds of muffled footsteps echoed throughout the vacant hallways. Kaiya tried keeping track of the turns they made, but soon she lost track of the many twists. _Left, right, straight, right, left…_ When she cast a cautious glance behind her, she found a puddle of rainwater trailing behind them. _So much for getting a head start, _she thought nervously, her throat dry.

Finally the servant stopped in front of a door and turned around to face them. "The dragon eggs are hidden in this room. I have already unlocked the door, but do not ask me how I managed to get my hands on the key. Go swiftly!"

Fendal's words caused Kaiya's brow to furrow in question. Mind racing, she turned hesitantly to Jevden, who was deep in concentration. He quickly snapped out of his peculiar mood, however, and turned the brass knob. The door creaked open slowly, and Jevden briskly strode into the room, Kaiya following. When she looked around the room, she noticed that it was quite small for such a grand castle. The room was dark, as there were no candles to light up the place. Large portraits of cross-looking men hung on the walls. The room itself was vacant of all objects, save for a table stashed in the corner of the room. A large case sat on the table.

Kaiya let a small smile appear on her face, though something troubled her. _This seems too easy… Something doesn't feel right. What is it?_ Shaking her head to the foreboding sense, she started towards the case with Jevden following. Her trembling hands touched the wooden case and undid the latch. Then, she pushed open the lid.

A gasp escaped from Kaiya's lips as her eyes first met with what lay inside. Two large eggs, one a rich crimson color and the other a deep shade of green, were nestled safely in a bed of cloth. Jevden took no time to admire the eggs; he snapped the case shut and pressed it against his chest. "Let's go," he murmured, and Kaiya nodded wordlessly.

When they reappeared, Fendal hastily shut the door and locked it once more. "Now follow me," he stammered, eyeing the large case in Jevden's arms. They then started back outside, this time at a quicker pace.

When Kaiya first took a step out of the castle, she knew something was wrong. They reunited with the three men outside of the door, and suddenly a dull buzzing could be heard. Kaiya cocked her head and wrinkled her brow as she wondered vaguely what it was. An arrow shot right past her head and hit the door to the castle. Kaiya gave a small cry and jumped back, her heart beating madly within her chest. Fendal made a strange gurgling noise and tried backing into the safety of the castle, watching Jevden with a nervous expression.

Suddenly Jevden turned towards Fendal and yanked him back. "Fendal!" he snarled, his face twisted with rage. Fendal gave a squeak and tried wriggling out of his grasp. "I-I'm sorry!" he cried, his whole body quivering with utter terror. "T-They forced me to tell. My old friend, I-I had no choice! Please—have mercy!"

"We must go!" a swordsman shouted to Jevden. Kaiya looked out to see the many flickers of lanterns bobbing up and down. A few more arrows rained down on them, though none of them managed to hit their targets. Fear flooded throughout Kaiya and she tried talking to Jevden.

"Jevden! Please, leave him. He is not worth it! We must go now!" she pleaded desperately. Jevden finally gave Fendal a hard shove, which sent the man spiraling to the ground. Then he turned and broke out running, followed quickly by everyone else.

Kaiya felt numb with worry. Her heart was racing and her mind was overwhelmed with many terrifying worries. She had trouble keeping up with Jevden in the dark; the slick grass and rain made it hard enough as it was. In the distance, the faint outline of soldiers could be seen pouring out of nowhere. _And we're heading towards them, _she thought faintly.

As they neared the ladder, Kaiya could hear their own men shout from the wall, "Hurry! We cannot hold off the guards much longer!" Her shaking fingers grabbed the slick wooden ladder and she tried to force herself to move faster. Yet another rain of arrows pelted down at them, and this time she heard the loud cries of pain coming from those who had been hit. From under her, she could hear Jevden telling her in an urgent yet comforting tone, "Just keep moving, Kai. Hurry now, and I'll hand the case up to you."

Once she had reached the top of the wall, she turned around and reached blindly for the large case and snatched it up. At first she thought she would drop it; it was heavier than it looked! With a grunt, she managed to get a better grip on it, though the corners dug into her side and fingers mercilessly. Jevden reached the top and quickly took the burden from her, then they made their way down the other side.

More cries could be heard, and Kaiya tried in vain to block out the horrible sounds of death. Suddenly, she felt her footing slip on the wet ladder. In an instant she was tumbling to the ground. A cry of surprise escaped her, and then Kaiya felt herself hit the soft ground with a thud. For a second everything seemed to be spinning.

"Kai!" Jevden called hoarsely, panic in his voice rising. "Are you all right?"

She realized numbly that he thought she had been hit. Jumping up, she called unsteadily, "I am okay!" Relief sounded in his voice as he answered to her, "Thank the gods. Here, grab the box from me; I can't hold it any longer."

Kaiya grabbed the box from him in a flash and tried waiting for him. However, a swordsman grabbed her arm and jerked her forward. "What are you doing?" she yelled angrily, trying to escape from his grasp while keeping her hold on the case. "Come on! Jev will catch up in a second, but we cannot wait for him. There are soldiers all over Urû'baen rushing here at this very moment. We mustn't let them get the eggs!"

Kaiya realized the truth in his words and stopped resisting, though the man still had a tight grasp on her arm as they ran. The sound of soldiers yelling could be heard from behind them, but Kaiya didn't dare glance behind her for fear of what she would see. Around every bend she expected to see soldiers waiting for them, however, each time she only saw an empty street. Shabby houses rushed past them in a blur. A few curious people watched from the safety of their homes as they dashed in and out of view. Finally they reached the boundaries of the city, and only then did they slow down their pace. Gasping for breath, Kaiya looked behind her in hopes of seeing Jevden. Every second that went by worried Kaiya even more, and she tried angrily to stop the tears that stung her eyes.

"Kai!" an all-too-familiar voice called. She spun around at once to find her blonde-haired brother saddling a group of horses. Forsaking the valuable case on the ground, she leapt up and hugged Tesu tightly.

"Get on a horse," he said after she released him at last. Kaiya's eyes widened and a look of outrage crossed her face, "I'm not leaving Jevden!"

Tesu glanced behind her nervously, hearing the shouts of angry soldiers. "Jevden knows where to meet us. We need to be ready to leave." His tone suddenly grew from comforting to bitter as he saw the case lying abandoned on the ground. "Grab the eggs, Kaiya! Whatever you do, don't let them out of sight… ever!"

Kaiya nodded sullenly and picked up the case, her eyes lingering into the night in hopes of seeing Jevden. Suddenly an object hurtled at them, followed instantly by a few more. Tesu and the man that had helped Kaiya both grabbed for a weapon immediately, though it wasn't necessary. Jevden and five others had managed to make it to the horses, each one covered in darkened blood.

"Jev!" Kaiya cried in alarm, but Jev merely smiled. "It is okay, Kaiya. We were ambushed back by the Whitehorn Inn." His smile disappeared suddenly, "Four of our men died. I do not know where the other six are. Hopefully they made it out of the city safely."

Kaiya noticed in the distance the endless streaming of yellow pinpricks. Tesu followed Kaiya's gaze and smiled grimly. "We will have to leave immediately. Kaiya get on a horse."

The girl scowled but obeyed, handing Jevden the case. There were a mass of horses, and Kaiya marveled at the quality of them. Surely Tesu paid a fortune on animals such as these! Plus there were the packs on each one, filled with the food and supplies they needed. Kaiya knew her father had left some money stashed away, but how did Tesu manage to get a hold of this kind of money?

She walked by each horse quickly, trying to inspect the horses for the best one. Before her father had died, she had learned from him a great deal of riding. The horse she finally settled with a young, black stallion. When she looked back she saw that Jev had hastily picked a brown and white horse. Tesu had been a little fussier, finally choosing a horse with a glossy brown coat.

When each had gotten on a horse, Kaiya looked at the extra horses with a frown. "Are we going to take them, too?"

Tesu shook his head, "They'll only slow us down. We can take the packs, but any extra animals will be just another mouth to feed."

_Poor horses, _Kaiya thought absentmindedly. She suddenly thought of something as she watched Tesu quickly grab the packs off the horses. "Where exactly are we going?" she questioned. "The Varden?" For the longest time she had always wondered if their rebel group was an ally of the Varden. She had never heard them talk of the Varden in any meetings, but it was true that they were an enemy of Galbatorix.

They started at a brisk speed, Kaiya riding in between Jev and Tesu. Although it was late into the night, she felt no trace of tiredness. Jev thought for a second before replying with a sigh, "I suppose it is our only option. Galbatorix will be searching for us, sending all of his troops to retrieve the stolen eggs. At least with the Varden we can be ensured protection."

Kaiya then turned to Tesu. "How did you get money for all these horses and supplies, Tesu? These horses must be some of the finest in Urû'baen!" To herself she thought, _I hope he did not steal them. We have enough to worry about as it is._

Tesu sighed softly, "Father had quite some money, Kai."

Kaiya wasn't satisfied with this answer. "But where did he get the money? An innkeeper does not make enough spare money to pay for nine horses and supplies. At least, none that I know of."

Tesu looked gravely at her. In a quiet voice he said, "Father wasn't always an innkeeper, Kai. He had only started the inn when you were five. I was nine at the time."

"Well," Kaiya persisted, "What was he before?"

Tesu mumbled something too quiet for Kaiya to hear. Growing irritated at her brother, she asked impatiently, "Well, _what?_"

"He was—at far as I know of—a traveler of Alagaësia. Father had traveled everywhere: from the wild Spine to the dry Hadarac desert to the giant Beor Mountains. That's how he met mother—she was in a tribe from the Hadarac desert."

Kaiya's jade eyes opened wide in shock as Tesu's words hit her hard. She had never known that her mother was from the Hadarac desert! Her mother had died when she was five, and she couldn't remember anything about her. Then there was Kaiya's father, who rarely spoke of her mother. "But… how could he afford traveling?" Kaiya asked in confusion.

"He was a thief." Tesu finally said lowly, avoiding her eyes.

"_What_?" Kaiya cried, and several of the men looked up at her wearily. "Father couldn't be a thief! He—he couldn't be a thief because…because Father wasn't that type of man!" she stammered. "Father hated thieves and hated anyone who cheated through life. He _couldn't_ have been a thief!"

"Father was a thief. He took what he wanted and killed whom he wanted," Tesu said sharply. "He met Mother on one of his travels and happened to take an interest in her. Eventually they got married and she moved with him to Urû'baen. But Father wasn't ready to give up his life of thievery and travel. He often went on long trips across Alagaësia, and he did not realize that I was born. Even when he found out, he still did not wish to settle. The same routine happened over and over: Father would come home for a few months, take off without warning, and come back many months later. This would happen over and over, until you were five years old and Mother became ill. The only reason Father settled in Urû'baen was because of Mother's death."

Kaiya pondered what Tesu said, angering rising quickly within her. "Why did Father tell you of this and not me?" she demanded.

Tesu shrugged, "He simply did not want to worry you."

That was the end of the conversation, as Kaiya did not want to hear any more about her father's previous life. Her head was buzzing with confusion and rage at the topic, but she remained silent. When they had traveled far enough from the city one of the men found a cave hidden from sight. Inside was dry, and Kaiya hastily peeled off her wet clothes and fell asleep in the corner of the cave, a blanket wrapped around her shivering figure.


	3. Of Fights and Flights

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.

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Chapter Three

When Kaiya emerged from the cave early the next morning, dressed in dry clothes, the first thing she noticed was that it was not raining. The sky was a dull gray in color with the sun obscured from view. Jevden and Tesu were talking in low voices, but they hastily stopped once they saw that Kaiya had appeared. She frowned slightly and headed towards them immediately.

"So," she asked casually to them, "what's for breakfast?"

Tesu jerked his head towards the picketed horses and said with a grin, "Whatever you can pull out of your pack."

Kaiya stuck out her tongue at him playfully and walked towards her black horse. In the daytime she could only marvel at the wondrous beast even more. Tesu without a doubt paid many crowns him. "Then perhaps you need a name that is as grand as you are," she murmured to the beast as she patted its silky nose. She thought for a second and finally declared, "I shall name you Raiden." It seemed to suit the elegant horse well, considering their successful raid of King Galbatorix's castle. After stroking her horse for a few more seconds she dug into her bag to find a loaf of bread clumsily wrapped in rough cloth. Curiosity settling within her, she dug in deeper until she came upon a dagger in an elegant leather sheath.

Kaiya slowly tied the sheath around her waist and undid the cloth around her bread to break it in half. Tucking the other half carefully back in the bag, she hungrily bit into it. Then she made her way back to the others. Giant green trees jutted out of the earth every few feet, making the area perfectly hidden from the main road to Urû'baen.

"I see you found your dagger," Jevden observed, eying the sheath around her waist as she made her way back to their small camp. "Do you know how to fight with it?"

Kaiya laughed at Jevden's question. "Father taught me the basics of fighting when I was a little girl. He always thought that a girl should know how to defend herself."

"Your father thought right," Jevden replied with a smile. "And I assume he taught you your exceptional riding skills, too?"

Kaiya nodded, though suddenly she jerked her head up as a shrill sound caught her attention. She knew those horns anywhere. It was the blaring of Urû'baen horns, far off in the distance but just as disturbing. Suppose the soldiers caught up with them? Immediately the bread in her mouth turned bitter. Forcing down the bread, her gaze quickly scanned through the makeshift camp for the item that had caused all of this trouble.

"Where's the—" Kaiya started to say with alarm, but then she stopped. Jevden and Tesu both grinned.

"Never let them out of your sight," Tesu chanted, reciting the same words he had told her the night before. Jevden had been using the large case as a chair to sit on. Winking at her, Jevden said slyly, "There is no better place to keep it than right under your nose."

Curiosity burned throughout Kaiya. Her hands suddenly itched to open the case and pick up an egg to feel its smoothness. She wanted to hold the item that had been fought over for so many years. _I wonder how it feels…how heavy it is?_

Jevden watched her thoughtfully with his tired eyes. He knew she was interested a great deal about the eggs, but she would never admit it. Then he recalled what Tesu had confronted him about earlier.

"_Jev, have you thought about my idea? If we could just get an egg to hatch for Kaiya—" Tesu said in a low voice._

"_It is not up to us," Jevden replied sharply. "And I do not wish to involve Kaiya in this further. She should have never joined the group in the first place. She is just a girl."_

"_Just a girl?" Tesu laughed. "Kaiya is more than just a girl! She is strong, determined, and not a bad fighter. That is what we need in a Rider, and who else could be more trusted for such a position? It will be much harder to find a suitable person, even if we go to the Varden. What will they do? They will choose a person qualifying _their_ needs, not ours."_

_Jevden hesitated, his dark eyes examining the blonde-haired boy intensely. "I suppose it shall not hurt to try it. Though I must tell you that an egg might not hatch for Kaiya. It depends on—" Jevden suddenly closed his mouth as he saw Kaiya emerge from the cave and look at them. He looked to Tesu and, though frowning slightly, silently agreed._

"Jevden, what's wrong?" Kaiya suddenly asked. She looked at him worriedly and bit her lip. Across his face was a troubled and far-off look. Suddenly she could notice all of the gray hairs in his dulled ebony hair and how ragged and dirty he appeared.

Jevden looked up and gave her a small smile. "It is nothing, Kai. I should go talk to the others. The sooner we leave, the better."

As he stood up Kaiya noticed a scowl across Tesu's face. She frowned, confused at her brother's sudden anger, but did not pay any more attention to it.

The group started off almost immediately and continued riding until Kaiya felt hunger gnawing at her empty stomach. Not once did the sun break through the thick gray clouds that concealed the sky. Soon every part of Kaiya's body hurt from Raiden's constant movements. Every once and a while they could hear the blaring of horns from Urû'baen soldiers, and each time they quickened their paces for awhile. When they finally stopped to eat their meager lunch, Kaiya felt relieved and grateful for the brief break.

When Kaiya first slid off of Raiden she felt her knees buckle from the long hours of riding. Grumbling to herself, she walked and reached into her pack to grab the other half of her bread. Ripping it apart viciously with her teeth, she plopped herself onto a patch of dead grass.

"My legs are sore," she complained aloud after she swallowed the last bit of her bread. Knowing that there were some apples in the bottom of her bag, she struggled in getting back up. Tesu suddenly appeared in front of her and threw a long stick at her. "They're about to be even more sore."

"What's this for?" Kaiya asked impatiently as she turned the stick around in her hands.

"Fighting," Tesu said simply. In his hands he had one for himself. "Father taught you to fight, but that was long ago. You need to practice in order to become better."

"Why do I have to become better?" Kaiya questioned with a sigh after she had gotten up. To answer her, Tesu lunged at her with the stick.

"Hey!" she cried. In a flash she blocked his attack and tried to hit him in return. Tesu avoided it with ease and hit her in the side hard.

Fury swelled up inside Kaiya as she felt a burst of pain. After stumbling backwards slightly, she ran towards him and tried to strike him again. While Tesu managed to hit her many times, she could barely manage to touch him. Jevden watched nearby, his back leaning against the trunk of a large tree. Others observed thoughtfully and chuckled when Kaiya got a face full of dirt.

Soon she could feel painful bruises where Tesu continually hit her. Already she had a rip in the knees of her black pants where she had plunged to the ground of several occasions. Legs and arms completely sore from use, she gathered all of her energy for one last attack. As Tesu charged forwards, Kaiya spun around and hit him square in the back with all her might. Tesu whirled around instantly and, though Kaiya tried to avoid it, hit her across the stomach.

She fell to the ground backwards with a slight thud. "Ouch," she muttered, rubbing her stomach. Staggering back up, she said to Tesu, "All right, I think that's enough bruises for one day."

Tesu nodded in agreement. "Then we shall continue tomorrow." Kaiya groaned at this, but managed a nod. Then she limped over to Jevden.

"That last attack of yours was good." he commented quietly. Kaiya gave him a weak smile, "You think so?"

"Yes, I do. With a little training you could be a decent fighter."

Pride welled up within her at his last comment. "Then… could teach me?" she asked timidly. Jevden stood up straight and looked at her for a few long seconds with a strange gleam in his eyes before finally murmuring, "Yes."

* * *

From then on the days seemed long and endless as they traveled south to the town of Furnost. Jevden and Tesu sparred with Kaiya every day, whether in the afternoon or before settling down for the night. As the days went by she could keep up with Tesu, though she was far from matching his abilities.

Although had no encounters with any other travelers, every night someone would keep watch for any unwanted visitors. While soldiers wouldn't be much of a problem as long as the numbers were low, Urgals were a dangerous threat. Kaiya could remember hearing much of Urgal attacks when she was back in Urû'baen. But Kaiya did not worry a great deal of Urgal attacks. She thought that they should be worried over Galbatorix's forces. How very wrong she was…

Jevden gave a deep laugh as Kaiya tried desperately to avoid Tesu's constant attacks. It was their tenth day since the escape, but they still had a little while to go until they reached Furnost. While it would take a normal traveler an average of twenty days, they were making slower timing. Besides the fact they had a slightly large group, they also had to stay away from the main roads.

It was midday and they had been fortunate enough to find an area that had trees surrounding it at all sides. After eating a quick lunch, Kaiya and Tesu had immediately begun their daily sparring.

Kaiya jabbed desperately at Tesu. He immediately blocked it and started attacking her. She blocked his first attempt, but the second sent her crashing to the ground.

"Hey!" she cried, rolling over on her stomach. Suddenly she felt under her a large imprint, and she looked down curiously. A deep and large print was there."What's…this?" Kaiya murmured. Something nagged at her mind, though she couldn't say what. Quieted grunting could be heard all of a sudden. A soft buzzing…coming closer.

"Urgals," Kaiya whispered hoarsely. An explosion of the horrid creatures streamed into the area, snarling and grunting. Kaiya gave a screech as she heard an arrow fly past her head. Utter confusion passed through the rebel group, and everybody was yelling orders, diving for their weapons.

Fumbling for her dagger, she dodged all Urgals in a desperate attempt to reach Jevden and Tesu. Ahead of her, she could see Jevden draw his sword and lunge for an Urgal. His mouth was forming many harsh commands for Tesu, though Kaiya couldn't hear his voice over the noise.

An Urgal suddenly appeared in front of her, his face twisted in an evil grin. His long horns were menacing, and blood stained his hands. _A dagger cannot kill an armed Urgal. Jev, Tesu, help me!_

Before she knew it, she had dodged past the Urgal with amazing speed. An outraged snarl came from the Urgal and he jabbed his blood-covered sword at the girl.

Pain spread throughout Kaiya, though she did not stop. Looking down numbly, she saw a long cut on her right arm. A cry escaped her and she clamped her other arm over the wound. Wetness seeped through her fingers instantly.

Tesu had gotten on his horse. The case was under one arm while his other grasped the reins. Jevden was yelling at him angrily, telling him orders that no one could hear.

"Jev!" Kaiya called weakly. The words seemed to stick in her throat. Her whole body shook as she tried frantically to reach them.

"Get on your horse!" Tesu bellowed to Kaiya as he spotted her.

"What? Why...where are—?" Kaiya cried in confusion. Blood dripped down her arm and onto the trampled grass. Her head was spinning…

"_Get on the damn horse, Kaiya!_" Tesu screamed. Eyes wide with terror, she scrambled onto Raiden wordlessly. Blood everywhere… so many Urgals…

"Jevden!" Kaiya shouted. The man turned around and gave her a sympathetic look. "You must leave immediately! Go… take the eggs far away from harm." He stabbed at an Urgal and then choked out, "Do not come back to this damned place."

"No," Kaiya whispered. Tesu dug his heels into his horse harshly and bellowed, _"Hya!"_

She turned Raiden around and nudged him with unshed tears in her eyes. The horse bolted forward after Tesu, leaving the screams of pain far behind them.


	4. The Hatching of a Dragon

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter Four

They rode in silence until dusk settled over Alagaësia. When Kaiya would slow her pace, Tesu would bark at her to speed up. All the while Kaiya would try to comprehend what had happened. The tears that had threatened to spill over earlier were long gone, but in their place was a hollow feeling. Every part of her body felt strangely numb, as numb as her blood-covered arm. She didn't dare to speak a single word; Tesu's bitter mood convinced her to hold her tongue.

Kaiya felt sickened as she saw the same landscape as far as the eye could see. For the first time ever, she wished greatly that she had never laid eyes on the dragon eggs. That she had never heard of the Dragon Riders, taken part in the scheming of raiding Galbatorix's castle.

_Galbatorix._ The very word aroused seething anger within her. _That bastard._ _He can go to hell for all I care. _All of this was his fault… her father's dying, their journey to escape from his clutches…

"We shall rest here for the night. Though we should continue riding through the night in case the Urgals pursue us, we cannot continue on like this. We will leave early tomorrow morning." Tesu said abruptly, gazing coldly at Kaiya. He let out his breath slowly, azure eyes filled with a tiredness unlike she had seen in them before. All his kindness and calm nature had been stripped of him… she could see it in his eyes. Nothing was left except pain, sorrow, anger, and an unfamiliar icy coldness. He looked like what he was: a boy that had been forced to adulthood too soon. Had all this happened in one day, or was this merely the final result of a gradual transformation?

Sliding off Raiden, Kaiya felt his words pass through her meaninglessly. Her brother, the brother that she had known all of her life, was gone forever. This person beside her was a stranger. She could not accept the change that had occurred within him since their leave. Already she was devising a plan in her head of what they would do the next morning. A faint smile came upon her lips unconsciously as she imagined their reunion. She wouldn't allow herself to think of what she might actually discover; it was too painful of a thought.

* * *

It was scorching heat and fiery pain that awoke Jevden from his painful slumber. When he weakly reached up and touched his head, he could feel dried blood in his damp hair. An unnatural silence filled the air; neither the shrill calls of birds nor faintest whistle of wind could be heard. It was as if all of nature was holding its breath, waiting for something unknown to occur.

The man was on the verge of unconsciousness yet again when he heard the sound of a nearby horse. He cursed under his breath as the muddled thoughts came flooding back to him. _Urgals!_

_…The deafening sound of swords clashing against one another… the snarls of foul Urgals as the poured into the area… screams of pain as their fellow men fell to the ground in defeat… so many corpses abandoned and left to rot… crimson liquid staining the grass and dirt… so much blood…_

"NO!" Jevden cried hoarsely, his fist crashing down to the earth powerfully. He cringed instantly, feeling the pain race up his arm to a deep sword wound on his right shoulder.

_Jevden watched somberly as Tesu and Kaiya galloped away, a thick cloud of dust arousing behind them. Another snarl sounded and Jevden whirled around to find a large Urgal leering at him. Blood covered his hands and the tips of his long, twisted horns. It lunged at him instantly and uttered a low growl as Jevden parried the attack with ease. Then came the two other Urgals. Pain spread throughout Jev as he was stabbed in the right shoulder, followed by a large wound in his chest._

_He felt himself falling backwards and landing on the ground with a thud. His eyelids fluttered for a few moments before closing finally. Then the fallen man waited for his death to come._

_"Dead. They are all dead," an Urgal spat after several long minutes. Jevden felt a pang at his heart and bit down hard on his lip. He heard the heavy footsteps of another Urgal coming forward._

_"No, two got away. One carried a large pack and the other was a young girl. I watched as they rode away… we should go after them before they reveal our location."_

_Fear instantly flooded in Jevden, and he tried hard to contain himself. _I have not forgotten what I have learned, though I wish not to use it, _he thought bitterly to himself. He selected a few choice words and waited for the head Urgal to issue the command. It would most certainly kill him, as weak as he was, but it was inevitable if he wanted Tesu and Kaiya to reach safety._

_"They are not important. We must leave immediately to reach the Hadarac Desert in time." The leader said._

_Many small growls of disapproval could be heard from the rest of them. One of them grunted, "We can send two to kill the ones that abandoned. It will ensure us going unnoticed and will not delay us."_

_Jevden could almost see the Urgal nod his head, a wicked grin across his face. "Go," he snarled. Two pairs of heavy footsteps could be heard walking away. "For the rest of us, we will continue to the desert."_

_The crowd started to depart slowly, pocketing any weapon they favored off of a dead body. Suddenly Jevden felt a massive foot knock against his head brutally. Before he could utter a single noise, he lost conscious_

"They… they are going after Tesu and Kaiya," Jevden said softly. Guilt flowed through him freely. He was too injured to go warn them and too weak to do anything to help. "I am sorry my friends," he whispered. Ignoring the bothersome flies and burning heat around him, he let down his head and closed his eyes. Perhaps rest would give him the strength he so desperately needed.

* * *

Kaiya and Tesu sat around a small fire silent and alert. Although Kaiya argued that a starting a fire would give away their position, Tesu had continued to insist on it. For the first time they could have the luxury of a warm fire.

Tesu was dead silent. He stared through the crackling fire with a troubled look. Kaiya shifted at the uneasy silence, but said nothing to him. Every innocent remark she made ended up with him snapping at her. Yes, it was safer to avoid talking to him unless he made the effort to.

A beautiful sword rested in his hands, reflecting the flames brilliantly. It wasn't his own; his sword was safely tucked in his sheath. Tesu must have grabbed it in the midst of the battle.

Looking up at her for the first time, Tesu gave her a tiny smile and slid the sword back in it's own leather sheath. Then he tossed it carefully to her.

Kaiya reached out and caught the weapon clumsily. "What is this for?" She asked carefully, her hands running down the casing.

"You need a real weapon, not just a dagger. If you had this before you would not have that cut on your arm."

She glanced down at her newly bandaged arm. "Thank you," she said softly.

Tesu nodded and then looked down at his hands. Taking a deep breath, he reached over and pulled the dragon case onto his lap slowly. "I suppose now is the time to try this, though Je—though _he_ wanted to wait until you were properly prepared."

"What… what are you talking about?" Kaiya asked quietly, avoiding the eyes that seemed to look right through her. Instead she watched golden embers rise slowly into the night sky.

"Jevden and I had agreed to see if a dragon egg would hatch for you. It would be hard enough to find a qualified person as it is, us being on the run. If we had gone to the Varden, they would pay no mind to finding a person that _we_ thought qualified. Therefore, I convinced Jev that you would be an ideal person to become a Dragon Rider."

Anger surged through her, and said in a shaky, low tone, "And what if I did not wish to become a Dragon Rider?"

Tesu laughed faintly at her. Kaiya noticed that the laugh sounded hollow and different. "This is no time for your irritating stubbornness, little sis. The fate of the Empire is in our hands at this very moment."

His hands calmly went to undo the latches of the case. As he pushed the top off, Kaiya watched as the eggs reflected the fire stunningly. Small white veins could be seen meandering across their surface in every direction. Once again Kaiya was overcome with the urge to reach down and feel the eggs' smoothness.

"W-Why can't you become a Dragon Rider?" Kaiya asked him after she had forced her eyes from the eggs.

Tesu gave her a sorrowful smile, "I am too old for such an adventure. Even you are on the verge of becoming too old for an egg to hatch for you. Back in the time of the Riders, the new Riders were still only children when they were taken away for their training. Nineteen years old is _too_ old."

Kaiya hesitated, and then reached down into the case. Her trembling hand went first to the jade one, then suddenly to the scarlet. Tesu watched all the while, an unreadable expression on his face.

The egg was a couple pounds heavy. If she had not known any better, she could have easily mistaken it for a polished crimson stone.

"It feels warm," she murmured, her hand rubbing the egg and admiring it.

Tesu nodded in satisfaction, "That is good. When I first held them, they were not."

The two sat in silence once more, Kaiya holding the egg tenderly in her arms. Her brother watched Kaiya and the egg sharply, his bright sapphire eyes never leaving the two.

Under her fingers, she could feel the egg tremble suddenly. Kaiya slowly let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. Two words quickly formed in her head: _it's hatching!_ A high squeak came from the egg, and the egg trembled once more. Tesu leaned forward in interest.

Rocking gently in Kaiya's arms, the egg gave two more shrill squeaks. A crack raced down the crimson shell, followed by another. A small piece of the shell shot to the ground. Kaiya stared in awe as a small object could be seen from under the surface.

The egg gave another shudder, and more squeaks from the dragon could be heard. "Set the egg on the ground," Tesu ordered quietly. Kaiya tenderly put the hatching egg on the ground, almost regretfully. They watched for several more minutes as the small hatchling struggled to escape. Finally the egg gave a final shudder, and the dragon came completely free.

Both watched as the beast licked off the membrane that encased it. The broken shell lay scattered across the ground in wet pieces. The dragon itself was slightly longer than her forearm, and the glittering scales were the same rich crimson color as the egg. Two sharp fangs could be seen sticking out from its mouth, pearly white like it's claws. Small spikes ran across the dragon's spine: from the base of its head to the tip of its tail. For a moment the beast merely stared at Kaiya with hard, scarlet eyes. Although it was only a baby, she could see distinct fierceness across its face.

Uttering a loud chirp, the dragon stretched out its large wings. Then it cocked its head and observed the surroundings. Kaiya slid off from the tree stump she had been using for a stool and tentatively reached out to touch its back.

She instantly regretted it. Fiery pain shot up her arm and throughout her body. Kaiya felt herself falling backwards in surprise and the horrid pain, but no cry escaped from her lips. She tried desperately to jerk her arm back, but she couldn't move it. Her head was spinning and she heard a scream of unmistakable fury explode into her mind. Eyes shut tightly, Kaiya let the violent pain wash over her body and leave her breathless.

And then it was gone. Coolness spread throughout her, replacing the awful hotness that had overtaken her moments before. Jerking her hand back, she snapped her eyes back open and stared at her palm. A dim white oval appeared onto it slowly, shimmering slightly. It burned painfully and she put the palm to her cheek as if to cool it down. Sweat mixed with her hair and onto her forehead and she found herself panting hard.

Struggling to get back up, her eyes widened in horror as the dragon blinked in confusion and hopped onto her leg. She braced herself for the pain again, but it did not come. Her hand went slowly to the dragon and she petted it awkwardly.

A low humming came from the dragon. It arched its back, obviously enjoying the treatment it was receiving. Suddenly she felt something brush against her mind. Kaiya frowned at the strange new feeling. Something had happened to her at the touch of the dragon. It was as if she were free to reach out at things with her mind. Curious, she felt something brush against her mind yet again. Hunger. She could sense the hunger from the dragon, though she did not know how.

"It-It is hungry," Kaiya said uncertainly to Tesu. He had been watching the ordeal with strange calmness.

Tesu reached down by his side and took out a few strips of their precious dried meat. A troubled look crossed Kaiya's face, but she grabbed the meat and took out her dagger to cut it.

The dragon waited impatiently, occasionally snatching a square as she tried to cut the meat into pieces. She laughed out loud at this and scooted him away from the food. It gave a pathetic growl, not sounding the least bit threatening. When she finished, she fed the dragon one square at a time. It snatched the food from her hands instantly, nipping at her fingers at a couple times. When it had finished off the last square, the dragon curled up by her stomach and dug into her shirt. It snorted softly, then closed its eyes as it fell asleep with a full stomach.

Kaiya was overwhelmed with all of this. _Now this certainly complicates things,_ she thought softly. But she couldn't help but smile as she watched the sleeping dragon in her lap. _But me, a Dragon Rider? What if I disappoint Tesu? _The new responsibility both frightened Kaiya and excited her. Already she was fond of the small, impatient beast. Although it had a tough appearance, it was awfully cute.

For the first time in a while, Kaiya felt at peace. She watched sleepily as the fire crackled, rubbing the sleeping dragon gently. A puff of dark smoke rose from its nose as it shifted its position, then the humming continued once again.

"My dragon," she whispered softly to herself. She tiredly wadded up a blanket and used it as a pillow to rest her head against the tree stump. "My dragon."

* * *

_And there's chapter four, people! If the hatching and describing of the dragon sounds oddly familiar, it's because I referred to the book for the describing._

_Please review!_


	5. Following Death's Path

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter Five

"_Urgals!"_

_The fair voice rang throughout the still camp, cutting easily through the air like a knife. Despite the darkness, the camp sprang to life in an instant. People could be seen running from one small tent to another. No, not people. Elves! The elegant elves raced to grab their weapons to fight. Not far away the vicious sounds of Urgals could be heard drawing nearer._

_Suddenly a boy flew out of a white tent, his light hair messy from sleeping. A wrinkled white shirt was on him, hinting that he had thrown on the first shirt in reach. At his side he held tightly to a blood-red sword._

_He looked around for a moment, watching the elves dart by him. Suddenly another boy, a few years older than himself, nearly collided with him._

"_Eragon!" the older boy gasped, drawing a sword as he spoke. "Arya has sounded the alarm. Come with me; we need everybody to fight."_

_Eragon nodded quickly and they started running in same direction as the few others. "How many are there?" Eragon asked briskly._

"_I am not sure," the boy admitted. "Kaiya and Rubaes went to try and determine the number."_

_Eragon frowned slightly at the boy's words, "You let her go alone, Murtagh?"_

"_No, I tried to tell her to wait and she refused. She is certainly stubborn."_

_The two boys rounded the last tent to fight a group of elves with their weapons out and ready. One of the elves turned to them immediately, a worried expression showing plainly across his face. "We cannot tell for certain until Lady Kaiya lands with word, but it seems there are many. They are still a little ways off, but Arya managed to detect them and sound the alarm."_

"_Where is Arya, Haldin?" Eragon asked nervously, glancing over Haldin's shoulder as if to find her behind him. The elf shook his head, "When I last saw her she was trying to catch Lady Kaiya before she departed. I do not know where she is now, but I would not worry—"_

_Haldin was interrupted suddenly as a fierce roar pierced the night. A large crimson object glided towards the ground at a fast pace. As soon as the menacing-looking dragon touched the ground, a girl hopped off it's back gracefully. She brushed her ebony hair away from her eyes and quickly raced to check the giant beast's wings. A few arrow punctures were in each monstrous wing, blood dripping steadily onto the dewy grass._

_She finally turned her attention to the elf and two boys, a grim look across her face. "I couldn't get close enough without them shooting at Rubaes, but I do know that there are many." Her voice lowered and she said darkly, "Too many to fight."_

"_What happened to you?" Murtagh asked sharply, eying her left arm. There was blood dripping down it slowly. Kaiya quickly covered it with her other hand, putting pressure on the wound. "It is nothing, Murtagh," she replied hastily. "One of the arrows grazed me, but it is not bad."_

"_They are coming!" a loud voice bellowed over the crowd, silencing it. Haldin started to the front of the group while the others prepared for the fight. The snarls of Urgals overtook every other noise as they steadily came into view. There were so many… too many…_

"Wake up Kaiya!" The voice was hushed, yet urgent. The groggy girl slowly opened her eyes to find Tesu towering over her. Every inch of her body ached from her poor sleeping position, and already she could feel a large headache stirring in her head. The sky was a soft lavender color, and the crescent moon could still be seen up in the sky.

"Whassa matter?" she mumbled, shoving away a blanket that had been draped over her during her uneasy sleep. At her side she could feel the dragon hatchling stirring.

"Er… nothing," Tesu replied hurriedly, taking care in avoiding her eyes.

"Liar," Kaiya hissed playfully.

He gave a sigh and pushed part of a loaf of bread at her. "Just get ready to depart. It would be unwise to stay in one place for too long, just in case we are being hunted by the Urgals."

Kaiya stood up at once, causing an irritated growl from the crimson dragon. "We have to go back," she growled threateningly to him.

"I told you that we couldn't," Tesu replied in guilty tone.

Kaiya tried to look up at him and still remain intimidating. "I am not going any farther until we go back for Jev. I shall go by myself if I must! What if there is a chance if he is still alive, waiting for us to come back for him? E-Even if he is dead, he deserves a decent burial. Would you let the man I considered a second father, the man that _took us in_, to be left to rot, to die in shame?"

Tesu was quiet, though he continued to saddle his and Kaiya's horse. Another sigh escaped from his lips and he turned back towards her, his azure eyes softening for a moment. "Then let us get started, though expect the worst. The chances of him being alive are slim, and even if he is alive he is almost certainly captured."

Kaiya smiled softly at her brother, "Thank you."

Soon both could feel the scorching sun on their backs as they rode at a gallop towards their destination. The little dragon sat in her bag on her lap, his head poking out and staring at the surroundings. Biting her bottom lip absentmindedly, she let her thoughts wander to her dream last night. Before then she didn't have time to think much of it, but now it bothered her greatly.

_Why did I dream of myself, and who were those boys and elves? Eragon, Murtagh, Haldin, Arya… I have never heard of such names in my life, save Eragon. Was that the name of the first Rider, who father told me stories about?_

"Eragon," Kaiya muttered to herself. She glanced across to Tesu, who was also deep in thought.

"I had a strange dream last night," she declared boldly to him. Frowning slightly, he said, "Yes?"

Trying to speak over the sound of the horses' thunderous hooves, she started telling him of the strange dream involving herself and the other people she had never seen before. Tesu listened carefully to each word she said, a peculiar look across his face at some moments.

"And you say it had your dragon in it?" Tesu finally asked after she had finished talking.

Kaiya nodded briskly, "Yes, except he large enough to ride." Her brow furrowed as she recalled the ferocious roar of the dragon and how menacing he looked. "I called him Rubaes," she mused. "It was the strangest dream though; it felt different than a normal dream, though I can't explain how." A smile tugged at her lips, "So do you think I am completely insane now?"

Tesu held no hint of amusement across his hard face. "Do you remember when you were seven and told me and father of a dream you had experienced? How you woke up sobbing because you had dreamt of father coming home covered in blood?" Tesu questioned thoughtfully.

"No," she replied slowly. Why was Tesu bringing up a dream she had eight years before?

"You were scared to death and wouldn't let go of father for an hour. You told us how two men brought him back nearly unconscious, blood drenching his entire shirt. His face was a waxy pale white color and he had a deep sword wound in his chest."

Tesu's words were chillingly familiar. "Why are you bringing this back up?" she demanded furiously.

"Because you dreamt of it. Somehow you knew of something six years before the event came to pass." He gazed at her with his cold eyes, "You can foretell the future, just like mother."

Kaiya would have laughed out loud if not for the deadly serious look across Tesu's face. Instead she said with as straight a face as she could manage, "What do you mean?"

"Mother had the power of the prophecy that came to her in her dreams. Meaning that your dream will most likely come to pass, eventually."

Kaiya peered down at the dragon in her bag, letting Tesu's words absorb. Rubaes. It sounded more like a male name, but it seemed to fit the little dragon perfectly. She tried the name and was surprised when a faint feeling of satisfaction that was not her own crept into her mind.

They continued nonstop for several more hours, mostly in silence. Kaiya replayed her dream over in her head and pondered what had happened. Who were these people, and why was she traveling with elves? Then the sickening thought crossed her mind: where was Tesu? Kaiya refused to even think of that question. Despite his new personality, he was still her flesh and blood.

Ahead of them Kaiya saw a small cluster of trees and a shimmering lake. She let out a sigh of relief; riding wasn't very pleasant when you rode nonstop. She grinned and dug her heels into Raiden, one hand tightening her grip on the pack that held Rubaes in it.

"_Kaiya move!"_

She heard Tesu's frantic voice and immediately veered off to the right just in time to see an arrow streak past her. A cry clung in her parched throat, but she swung into action instantly. Pulling back on the reins brutally, she let Raiden slow down just enough to jump off of him. Sitting atop of a horse was an easy target.

Her hand went to her side, where she had strung the sword Tesu had given her. Kaiya pulled it out instantly and searched for her unseen enemy.

Nothing. She searched frantically, using Raiden to shield her from any more arrows. Tesu had gone in a circle and was galloping furiously to meet her. Then she saw a bulky object hurtling towards her.

"Urgals," she hissed under her breath. Hatred took hold of her body as she recalled her last encounter with them. She looked at the white strip of cloth that was wrapped around her arm, then back up at the beast. A faint feeling of fury filled her mind, one that was not her own.

An angry yell escaped her and she flung herself at the enemy. The surprised Urgal blocked a bone-rattling attack from the furious girl. Hatred, rage, and her new Rider strength gave her the power to easily match her opponent.

The Urgal parried one of Kaiya's attacks… then found her sword pulled to his throat in an instant.

"It's your fault," she whispered angrily, the sword barely touching the Urgal's foul gray skin. Then, with the strange white oval glimmering dimly on her palm, she slit the beast's throat.

Hideous grayish blood stained the once untainted grass. The massive body fell to the ground with a hard thud. Although the sight was sickening, Kaiya took in a deep breath and nodded in satisfaction.

It was a few minutes later that Tesu walked up to her, the same gray blood covering his shirt. He took a quick look at the lifeless Urgal with a grim smile.

"There were only two, right?" Kaiya asked, wiping her blade clean with the Urgal's filthy shirt.

"As far as I know of. I assume they were from the same group as the Urgals that attacked us yesterday. They must have broken off from the rest to hunt us down and kill us." He smiled suddenly as his gaze turned to Kaiya, "You killed an Urgal and managed to survive with no more that a few scratches. Not just anyone could have managed that, especially at your age."

Kaiya took his words as a compliment. They walked over to their straying horses and started their ride once more with the promise of reaching their destination in an hour.

Time passed slowly. Her stomach gnawed with the hunger for dinner, but the girl dismissed it as she saw what lay ahead. As soon as they drew closer, she jumped off of Raiden and bolted anxiously towards the dead.

A stench of rotting flesh filled her nostrils, and she wrinkled her nose in disgust. A grim look crossed her face as she saw the expressions on the people she had seen bustling with life the previous day. Sorrow overcame her, and she whispered each name as she passed by at a slow walk.

"Tom… Desalen… Lihon…" She continued down the list of men until she had to choke out the words. When she had finished, she ended with saying, "May you rest in peace, my friends."

Tesu had wandered away from her to a lone body. Crouching over it, he pushed it over softly with his hands. A weak moan escaped from him.

"Jev?" he whispered hopefully. The man's eyes fluttered open and he gave a faint laugh. "I told you… to leave this damned place…Tesu…"

"My sister is too stubborn for her own good, Jev. Now we got to get you up and dress your wounds." He reached to touch Jevden's shoulder, but Jev pushed it away. "Don't bother, Tesu. It's… already infected. It is deep, boy, and awfully painful." His chest shook violently as a cough erupted from him.

"You must listen to what I say. My time here is long overdue. I only regret having to endure such pain instead of passing on quickly. What of the dragon eggs, Tesu?"

Tesu swallowed hard and said, "Luck was on our side, Jev. A new Dragon Rider has come into play."

The light in Jevden's eyes was slowly beginning to dim. "Then you must make your way to the Varden. Do you remember the directions I gave you? Take it slowly… let her strength increase… and help her to become more powerful."

"Jev?"

Both men turned to find Kaiya flying towards the dying man. "Jev!" she cried in disbelief. Tesu stood up abruptly and walked away slowly. From behind him he could hear Kaiya's voice grow frantic until she was finally crying freely. Tesu didn't dare turn back.

_Don't turn back._

He paused, silently vowing to do just that. There was no time to dwell in the past and it's events; he was needed. Death had shown him the path.

And he would follow.

* * *

_And there you have it. For your information, Rubaes is pronounced roob-ay-iss. Yes, not very original, but I think it suits the dragon well._

_Just as a little sidenote, this was one of my favorite chapters to write so far. I enjoyed writing the dream, although the whole 'power of prophecy' isn't all that original._

_Reviews are greatly appreciated!_


	6. Furnost

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter Six

Two lone siblings sat watch over a small, secluded cemetery. Seven freshly dug graves sat side by side, a now ownerless weapon positioned in the center of each grave. Sorrow hung heavily in the evening air. They were taking their moment of silence, honoring the courageous men that had died a hero's death.

It was Tesu who first stood up, taking in a deep breath as he turned his back on the graves they had spent precious time to dig. "We must leave and ride for Furnost or else spend the night at this area that reeks of death and sorrow. Our supplies our running low, and it seems that the other horses have either been captured or have gone astray."

Kaiya sat motionlessly on a boulder, her eyes never parting with the Jevden's middle grave. "What will happen to us now, Tesu? Are we bound for the Varden, and how will we get there? We have been put through hell to reach it and I have yet to hear anything about it's secretive location."

"We shall go to the Varden eventually, but not until fate calls us to it. You must become stronger and learn as much as possible of what it truly means to become a Dragon Rider. They shall try and manipulate you to serve their needs, and to resist that you must be strong."

Kaiya turned towards Tesu slowly, her face showing plainly how tired and miserable she felt. "I know nothing of becoming a Dragon Rider and I don't know how to learn."

It took several more minutes for her to be persuaded to stand up and get ready to leave. As they sat atop their horses and gazed at the graveyard they had created, Kaiya silently swore that she would one day return. Then they started on their journey to Furnost.

As the days passed and they grew closer to their destination, Kaiya found her bond with Rubaes growing stronger. Tesu and Kaiya still continued their training, though it brought pain to her when she remembered the cheery audience that used to gather round them for their sessions. She had grown stronger and fiercer. No longer did she fear using all of her might when battling her brother. Tesu was fulfilling Jevden's wishes in getting her prepared for the Varden.

Finally the day came when they saw the small town of Furnost on the red morning horizon. Kaiya wiped the sweat from her forehead and gave a deep sigh of relief.

_What is it?_ Rubaes's voice was fierce and powerful, just like his appearance. He stared at her with his crimson eyes, ruffling his wings.

_Finally we shall be able to see another person, Rubaes! I haven't been around people for the longest time._

The dragon made a noise in its throat, clearly stating that he didn't care. Kaiya laughed softly, amazed at how arrogant he had became in their short time together. Tesu glanced over at her disapprovingly at the sound of her laughing, though he didn't say a word.

As they drew even closer to the town, Kaiya had to convince Rubaes to hide himself in a layer of cloth. He had already grown the length of her whole arm and had outgrown her pack, but if he curled up he would be able to be mistaken for a bundle of cloth. By the time he had reluctantly agreed, they were just on the outskirts of Furnost. A few guards were positioned on the wall by the gate, and Kaiya felt her heart beat faster as she became more worried. It was certain that the guards of Urû'baen had informed all nearby towns of the stolen eggs.

"If anyone asks, your name is—," Tesu paused for a second and picked a random name, "—Jean. We are traveling to meet your husband."

Kaiya went pale and cried, "_What? _Since when do I have a _husband_?" From her lap she could feel Rubaes shifting his body in annoyance. Kaiya could have sworn that she saw a faint smile tug at his lips, but it disappeared almost at once.

"Would you rather it be _us _that were married?" Tesu snapped. "And lower your voice before the soldiers become suspicious." From up ahead they could see a group of guards conversing with each other, oblivious to the fact that they were approaching.

Kaiya scowled and sent him a venomous glare, "And what shall I call you, dear brother?" She spoke with clear sarcasm, a sweet smile appearing at that last part. "Never mind, I shall dub you Bart." Tesu glowered at her threateningly, but agreed nevertheless.

When the sound of hoof beats became apparent, the guards in front of the gate looked up suspiciously. Tesu drew his horse to a stop, and Kaiya halted right beside him. A large man drew his sword and asked sharply, "What business do you have in Furnost?"

Tesu opened his mouth to speak, but Kaiya said instantly in a false, desperate voice, "Please sir, my name is Jean and I am here to meet my husband. My brother, Bart, here had offered to assist me in my travels, for we have traveled a long way." She spoke strangely convincing, though all the while she felt like bursting out laughing.

The guard hesitated, and then said in a gentler tone, "Very well; you may pass. May you find your… husband quickly." Kaiya made the appearance of listening attentively and then nodded vigorously, "Oh yes, thank you kind sir."

The guard nodded, a faint smile crossing his face at Kaiya calling him a 'kind sir'. They started the horses once more, passed the guards, and entered the town immediately.

Furnost wasn't the most glorious of towns, and to Kaiya it looked rather pathetic compared to Urû'baen. The streets were small and dirty, with people off to the sides going about their own business. Shabby houses crowded by the main street that ran throughout the town, though farther along there were more respectable houses. A few stray, dingy dogs wandered the street aimlessly only to be shooed away by irritated people.

"That was some act you put on back there," Tesu said with a true smile. Kaiya beamed at the compliment, "I must admit that I did enjoy putting in on. Did you see the look on the guard's face when I told him I had a husband?"

_Tell me what happened, Kaiya. Was there any trouble getting in?_ Rubaes asked commandingly,

_We managed to get past the guards by telling them I had a husband in Furnost._

"I have to get supplies to continue our journey, but we should probably stay here for a few days to rest up. I suppose you can go and search for an inn for us to stay, but do not stray too far from the main street. We can meet back by the gate by sunset… agreed?"

Kaiya nodded in agreement and watched as Tesu slowly disappeared down the street, keeping watch for any decent shop stalls all the while. Kaiya started Raiden down another street, trying to fit in with the poor side of town.

It was only after an hour of wandering aimlessly down a maze of different streets that Kaiya agreed with Rubaes to ask for directions. She slowed Raiden down and looked around for a few seconds. When a young woman with blonde hair walked passed her, Kaiya asked, "Excuse me, but do you know of a decent inn for me and my brother to stay in? We have just arrived here and are in need of a shelter."

The woman smiled and said warmly, "Of course. My husband owns the Graystone a few blocks away. Business has been slow ever since extra security has been put up around the surrounding cities of Urû'baen. We'd be delighted if you would stay… there's not too many good quality inns in this part of town, anyways." She pointed out the direction of the inn and then went their separate ways after a thankful goodbye.

They reached the inn to find that it was roomy and had a stable to keep the horses. Kaiya offered the man enough crowns to stay for the night only, assuring him that they would almost certainly stay longer. After putting Raiden in the stable, Kaiya set out to explore Furnost, her sword sheathed by her side. Only after many long minutes of pleading did Rubaes agree to stay in the room, making sure to keep out of sight. It would look too suspicious to carry around a large bundle of cloth.

_I shall only agree on the basis that we are supposed to be in hiding,_ grumbled Rubaes sullenly.

Kaiya wandered around the shops, carefully choosing a new pair of pants and a shirt. She didn't care if Tesu got mad at her for spending money or not; she was in need of a new outfit badly. The one she had on had a large hole in the knee and was dirty from the constant sparring with Tesu. Ever since their hasty departure from Urû'baen, Kaiya had to wash her clothes in a stream and wear a blanket while they dried.

Kaiya was deep in a mental argument with Rubaes when she noticed that she had strayed too far from the main street. Looking around, she realized that there were few people around. Her stomach twisted in a knot, and she turned around immediately to leave… only to find the way blocked. Three intimidating-looking boys had appeared behind her.

"Hey girl, watcha got in your pretty hands?" one sneered, a dagger drawn. They were each a few years older than herself. Each had on ratty clothes and one held a bag full of… Kaiya didn't want to know what.

Clutching the few objects she had bought tighter, Kaiya said boldly, "Nothing that you would want." She tried sidestepping around them, but they grinned and stopped her.

"That's a nice looking weapon you got there," the tallest and oldest looking one commented. Kaiya glanced down at the sword she had recently polished. It caught the sun and gleamed back up at her beautifully. "Hows about giving it to me?" He reached out as if to grab it from her waist.

Kaiya scowled and backed up slightly. "Unless you want to hurt yourself, I suggest you leave," she replied confidently, though her heart was pounding madly.

Each one chuckled, obviously amused at her confident remark. The two other boys suddenly drew out weapons, the one dropping the bag with a sharp clang. Kaiya backed up slightly and dropped her items, reaching to draw her own weapon.

_Oh boy, am I in trouble, _Kaiya thought to herself as they started towards her. _Let's see if Tesu's training will pay off…_


	7. The Ancient Language

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter Seven

Holding up her sword steadily, images of Kaiya and Tesu sparring raced through her mind. Everything he had barked to her played back deafeningly in her ears, bracing her for the battle.

_What is happening, Kaiya? I can feel your anxiety and alarm._

Rubaes couldn't have picked a poorer time to intrude. As one of the boys hurtled towards her, Kaiya jumped back expertly.

_I can't explain now Rubaes; just stay put and—damn it!_ Kaiya flung her hand to her stomach where the attacker's dagger had grazed her. The pain stung bitterly, though Kaiya could barely notice it above her fury. A haughty smile appeared on the boy's face, "Give it up girl, you can't even handle one of us… let alone three."

Jeers from the others caused a pang of remembrance as her mind flickered to the days before the dreaded Urgal attack. "Shut the hell up and fight," Kaiya replied through gritted teeth. Then she sprang into action as she flew at the unaware boy instantly, sword raised for the blow.

A bellow of pain rang out loudly as the sword cut swiftly into the flesh of his shoulder. He fell on his knees, scarlet blood erupting instantly from the agonizing wound. Her gaze then turning towards the other two, and she saw them gaping in alarm at her. That only lasted for a split second, however; the boys instantly exchanged sharp looks and lunged at her at full speed.

"Yer gonna pay for that!" one roared angrily. He and the other both tried attacking her at the same time, forcing Kaiya to duck foolishly and twist around. There a blade being thrust towards Kaiya met her. She parried the attack at the last second and backed up, knocking over a few cans that littered the ground. The sound rang out clearly, though no one else was there to here.

_Tell me what is happening or I shall fly to meet you myself!_ Rubaes roared furiously. _I do not care that we are supposed to be in hiding. A dragon should protect his Rider!_

"Shut up Rubaes!" Kaiya pleaded out loud, jumping back to evade yet another blow. One of the boys stopped suddenly and sneered. "Who you talkin' to, girl?" Kaiya returned his answer by jabbing abruptly at his stomach, which he had to hastily dodge.

_Do not instruct to me what to do, human._ Rubaes retorted sharply to her plead.

_YOU'RE GONNA KILL ME!_ Kaiya shouted in sheer panic. She parried one boy's stabs and whirled around where the other one was… to find a sword before her face. Leering, the boy growled arrogantly, "Now you're gonna pay."

_Oh no, oh no, oh sh—_

It was the other boy, and not the one holding the blade to her throat, that struck. He thrust his dagger towards the back of her shoulder instantly.

Blood dripped on the cold, dirty ground, the wound painfully burning Kaiya. Foreign words raced through her head as she stumbled backwards from the blow. Numbly holding her sword in her hand, she listened intently as the words flashed in through her mind like lightning. The pain was unbearable… the voice growing louder… Rubaes's distant voice roaring at her… she found herself raising her sword and yelling hoarsely, "_Brisingr!_"

Ruby flames emitted from the sword as she brought it down upon the boy nearest to her. An agonizing cry sounded, though Kaiya spent no time to feel remorse. She immediately reeled around and slashed the other. And as the boy lay helpless on the ground, clutching his chest in unmistakable agony, Kaiya watched weakly as the scarlet flames lashed out at his body.

* * *

Loud footsteps could be heard racing down the empty alleyway as Tesu looked angrily and worriedly for Kaiya. _Damn girl… I told her to stay on the main street… if she's hurt…_

Tesu swallowed hard and pressed himself to run faster. As he rounded a corner sharply, his fears were confirmed at the sight that lay before him. Kaiya lay slumped against a stone wall, grasping her blood-soaked arm even in unconsciousness. Then his gaze shifted over to the three lifeless bodies near her, scarlet flames still licking at the two bodies. Kaiya had killed them… but what of herself?

"Damn it," Tesu muttered as he knelt down and gently pushed aside her bloodied hand. For fighting against three older boys, her wounds were relatively mild. Despite a few shallow cuts, her only wounds were a deep cut on her shoulder and stomach.

Not wasting any moment, Tesu ripped off a piece of his shirt and pressed it hard against her shoulder. Crimson liquid seeped through at once and soon drenched the entire white cloth red. _She's loosing too much blood… I need to get her away from here, _Tesu thought bitterly.

He lifted her up gently and walked back the way he came, glancing down at the dying flame of Kaiya's doing.

* * *

_Kaiya…Kaiya wake up this instant…HOW COULD YOU BE SO THOUGHTLESS?_

Kaiya groaned and lifted her head up to find Rubaes at her pillow, his ruby eyes glowing dangerously. _W-What are you talking about?_

_Foolish girl, I'm not leaving your sight from now on! What were you thinking, disobeying Tesu's orders? I know you did just that—I only needed to see Tesu bring you in the room. Dragon Rider or not, you're still a young human and you need PROTECTION!_ Rubaes looked as if he was about to breathe fire on her.

_I-I don't… what happened? _Kaiya asked, her thoughts muddled. Feeling a sharp pain at her upper back, she felt everything rush back to her.

_That is what I would like to know!_ Rubaes cried, enraged. _And why weren't you answering me before? I could hear a voice that was not yours, someone uttering a foreign language._

Just then the door opened and Tesu came in briskly. His face looked as vicious as Rubaes's when he saw that Kaiya had awakened.

_Foreign language,_ Kaiya muttered, trying hard to remember. _I was attacked and outnumbered and… and…_ Kaiya swallowed and continued softly, _I killed them. All of them._

_Then that saves me from killing them myself!_ Rubaes replied, slightly calmer, though his face was still hard and furious.

"What happened Kaiya?" Tesu asked immediately. "What did you do back there?"

The faint feeling of wanting to vomit grew slightly as her voice tightened, "I killed them all, Tesu."

Tesu's eyes softened faintly and he replied, "It was what had to be done."

"That doesn't make it right!" Kaiya exclaimed angrily. "I killed them and—and I didn't care." Letting herself up more on the bed, she felt her head strangely lightheaded, though not from lack of blood. She had taken another human's life, taken it and not felt in the least bit regretful for what she had done.

"What about the red flames, Kaiya?" Tesu asked abruptly, his eyes oddly gleaming.

"I said…something—I don't remember exactly—brisiger, brisingr?" Her voice faltered as a strange feeling stirred in her, and she knew that the word was different somehow. Rubaes's eyes lit up peculiarly at the mention of this word; he lifted up his head and made a rumbling noise in his throat.

The strange gleam still showing, Tesu suddenly excused himself and left the room, his brow furrowed in thought. Ignoring Rubaes's prying questions, Kaiya settled herself back into the comfort of her bed and let her exhaustion take over as she drifted into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

_How are your wounds?_ Rubaes asked as he lazily peered up at Kaiya's unreadable face. His deep voice still had a twinge of roughness, as he was still upset about what had happened. A week had passed since the incident occurred, and they had left once again after spending only two nights at the inn. During that time Kaiya spent much of her thoughts to herself, rarely speaking to Rubaes or Tesu.

_It hurts,_ Kaiya replied curtly, taking her eyes off of the trail to reach up with her arm and touch her shoulder. Any sudden movement caused a bitter jolt of pain. _And I wish it would heal soon; I want to continue my training with Tesu._

_Are you still brooding over killing those humans?_ Rubaes demanded abruptly. _Do not worry yourself over such insignificant matters, Kaiya. It is a not something to dwell on; what has happened is in the past. Blood, violence, war: it is all of no great concern to me. Do you think that you can avoid any more killing by keeping me out? No, killing is inevitable to be a true Dragon Rider._

Kaiya frowned and refused to listen to any other comments made by the crimson dragon. She instead focused on the unchanging land in front of her. Keeping her thoughts to herself, Kaiya continued what she had been thinking of before Rubaes interrupted.

_Du vrangr gata, garjzla, wyrda… Eka weohnata waíse du edoc'sil shur'tugal_.

* * *

_And there's chapter seven. First off:_

_Du vrangr gata, garjzla, wyrda… Eka weohnata waíse du edoc'sil shur'tugal. The words mean: 'The wandering path, light, fate... I will be the unconquerable Dragon Rider.' That is, in the Ancient Language. Interesting?_

_Questions? Comments? Flames or corrections? Review, please!_


	8. Figures on the Horizon

_Hey everyone! Finally you'll be introduced to Eragon, which most of you will be happy to hear. Now on with the story!_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter Eight

_A painful grunt sounded as a dark-haired boy was thrown ruthlessly on the stone ground. When he lifted up his head weakly, his forehead was slightly bleeding from where his head had hit the ground._

_Tight ropes bound his hands, and already the skin had been rubbed raw on his wrists. Murtagh was greatly in need of help._

"_You will come obediently to our master," a particularly vicious Urgal snarled._

_"Yeah…right," Murtagh spat angrily, and the Urgal bared his crooked, yellow teeth in a low growl._

_"I would not speak with such confidence if I were in your position!" the creature sneered. In an instant the Urgal drew back his leg and kicked Murtagh powerfully. The blow hit him square in the chest, and the man's head drooped._

"No!"

Kaiya's head jerked up as she awoke from her troubled sleep. The sky was a faint purplish color, and the moon could still be seen clearly over their heads. Her head was curiously sore, as if she had banged it against something rock hard. Any tiredness that she felt had immediately vanished as she pondered the dream she had experienced.

_That man—Murtagh—I have dreamt about him before. He is in danger, but why have the Urgals taken him for their prisoner?_

A snort from one of the horses caused Kaiya to jump slightly, and she arose from her uncomfortable sleeping position. Tesu was still asleep away from the remains of the fire. Rubaes was curled up and sleeping, a low humming coming from his throat. It had been two weeks since they had departed from Furnost, and on the horizon they could see the faint outline of the Hadarac desert.

Rubaes's growth had amazed her: already his head was slightly higher than her shoulder. No longer could she keep him hidden in a cloth, nor let him ride on her lap. His scales glittered like liquid fire, shining brilliantly in the sunlight. His crimson eyes were fierce and penetrating. It surprised Kaiya how much difference there was between them. Rubaes was powerful and ferocious-looking, and a personality to match. He was arrogant and stubborn, but a caring and protective quality was hidden under his rough appearance.

_I wonder what Rubaes would say if I told him of my prophecy dream? Somehow I feel that this Murtagh is of great importance in the future, as well as the Eragon boy._ Kaiya nodded with her conclusion, then let her gaze stretch up into the vast, open sky.

* * *

_You are thinking about Murtagh and Arya,_ a voice commented calmly. Eragon glanced over to an immense sapphire dragon beside him. Across her face was a stern expression.

_And what else would I be thinking of?_ Eragon replied crossly. _It has been a week since Murtagh's capture, and Arya has yet to return._

_Do you expect her to appear just like that? She is probably trying to catch up with us._

Eragon frowned slightly; _I still don't understand why we couldn't wait for them. Why did the elves have to come at the worst possible time: Ajihad dead, Murtagh and the Twins captured, Arya gone, the Varden still recovering from the battle._ _I shouldn't have agreed to leave until they returned._

_You did what was expected of you. _Saphira replied calmly. _It is your responsibility as a Dragon Rider to go and train with the elves._

Ignoring her sensible response, Eragon turned away from Saphira and looked around him. A dozen flawless elves sat near him. Each had a magnificent weapon made to perfection close by. It was still early in the morning, yet many of them were getting ready for another long ride that would take the entire day.

Leading the group was an incredibly skilled elf named Haldin. He had long, blonde hair that stretched down to his chest. A master at the bow, he carried a hand carved bow on his back.

A murmur that rose through the elves brought curiosity to Eragon. He sat up slowly and found Haldin walking towards him, a troubled look across his fair face.

"Word has just reached us that the two remaining eggs have been stolen from Galbatorix's castle." he said gravely.

"Stolen?" Eragon repeated dumbly. "But how?" Questions exploded through his mind. Hadn't Brom said that it was suicide to try and steal the eggs from Galbatorix?

Haldin sighed and replied, "No one is sure how they managed to steal it. But it was done at the one time the King was vulnerable: when he had left Urû'baen and left the eggs."

"But isn't that a good thing? Whoever stole the eggs are against Galbatorix, right?" Eragon persisted.

Haldin shook his head, "It is impossible to tell. Galbatorix has been trying to cover it up, but there is extra security around all of the surrounding cities. The Ra'zac are also trying desperately to track the stolen eggs."

Slight anger surged through Eragon at the mention of the Ra'zac. He could hear Saphira questioning him, but Eragon ignored her. "Is anybody going to try and make contact with them?"

Haldin laughed slightly. "Eragon Shadeslayer, I doubt that if the King's personal assistants have not caught them, we have a chance to. Besides, we must reach Orthíad on schedule, and to do that we must travel at a steady pace."

It took the weary boy a moment to take in what he had said. "Orthíad? Why are we going west?" Eragon finally asked in surprise.

"The Urgals have been massing an army in the east, on the border of the Hadarac Desert to the Edda River. It would be much more hazardous to try and get around them, though it would take far less time to reach Ellesméra."

They started traveling not long after, and Eragon started talking to Saphira. _If what Haldin says is true, then there is a chance that another Dragon Rider will come in to play,_ Eragon concluded.

_I knew that it would happen eventually; it was merely a matter of time. We shall have to be ready for this Rider, whether they are an ally or enemy._ Saphira stated to him. In the sky, Eragon watched the sapphire beast dart through the sky gracefully, and he felt strangely anxious. _Whoever has stolen the eggs shall be in for a rough time…I bid them luck.

* * *

_

By the time Tesu had woken up, Kaiya had already gotten the horses saddled and ready to go. She was sitting on a fallen, rotting log, lost deep in thought. Rubaes was next to her, prodding her for information on why she was had been so quiet.

_Rubaes, I am only thinking of my fight back in Furnost… something happened there that I cannot forget._

_Then it would be wise to open up your mind and tell me of this secretive thing. _Rubaes replied testily,

Kaiya nodded slightly, finally agreeing with Rubaes's words. _Do you remember when you said that you heard someone uttering a foreign language? I think that those words are connected to magic, and that is what happened with the red flames._

Rubaes's eyes lit up at the mention of the Kaiya's words. He rested his crimson head on her knee and murmured, _I doubt that we can find any answers to this riddle alone. Perhaps when we reach the Varden our answers can be solved. Until then, we can only wait and ponder what few things we _do_ know._

Stroking Rubaes's back, Kaiya inquired with a small smile, _Now how did you become so all-knowing, my dear friend?_

_A dragon has his ways,_ Rubaes replied back slyly.

* * *

After riding until midday, a wild thought struck the famished and sweaty girl. Kaiya slowed down Raiden to a leisurely walk and did a quick calculation in her head, trying intensely to remember the past things thrown in the depths of her mind.

_What is wrong, Kaiya?_ Rubaes asked casually. He was gliding by her in the air, stretching his wings and enjoying the wind that ruffled under him.

_I-I think that it is my birthday,_ Kaiya replied slowly, her brow furrowed in thought.

Rubaes snorted, obviously not caring, and flew a bit higher. Kaiya shot a glare at the beast but said nothing else to him.

_I am sixteen years old today; it seems so unimportant compared to everything else that has been thrown at me._

Hunger gnawed unmercifully at her stomach for what must have been the thousandth time, though Kaiya knew better than to ask her brother if they could stop to eat their meager lunch. Instead, she passed the time thinking only to herself.

_Look behind us Kaiya; what is that?_ Rubaes suddenly asked. His voice was suddenly sharp and serious with no trace of his earlier calmness.

Turning around, Kaiya say two objects on the brink of the horizon. For a second she thought they were merely wild animals, but all belief of that flew from her mind when she saw one stand up from a crouching position.

_I cannot tell from back here, but it looks like two people, _Kaiya said in the same tone as her dragon.

_Then I suggest you tell the boy that we have visitors,_ Rubaes stated testily.

Kaiya looked from Rubaes and back to the objects fading in the distance. _I should not worry Tesu when they are probably mere travelers or hunters._

A low growl came from the crimson dragon. _Do you think it wise to act with such carelessness when we are running from the Empire? One clumsy mistake could cost us anything from the other egg to our very lives. Anything out of the ordinary should be considered dangerous to us._

_Then act as if it is dangerous, Rubaes; I shall not tell Tesu._ Kaiya replied determinedly.

Over the next days, Kaiya and Rubaes saw no further things out of the ordinary. While Rubaes was still suspicious, Kaiya paid no mind to the strange incident.

_It was merely a traveler and nothing more,_ the girl told Rubaes carelessly. If only she had taken more of a precaution in the matter.


	9. Meeting Eragon

_'Lo people! Now it boils down to Kaiya and Eragon's meeting. On to Chapter Nine! (Oh, and once more I have taken certain words Saphira used to describe the Ra'zac to describe Kaiya and Rubaes's experience.)_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter Nine

Night was fast approaching as Tesu and Kaiya pressed on. To the west of them lay the glittering Tüdosten Lake, while to the east of them lay a large forest that Tesu was bent on steering clear of. All were weary with great fatigue, though each kept their complaints to themselves.

When they finally settled down for the night, Kaiya could have collapsed on the spot. Tesu had been drilling her relentlessly since daybreak. It seems that he wanted to reach the Varden before someone spotted Rubaes. Kaiya was puzzled on how he even knew of the Varden's secretive location.

After muttering a tired goodnight to Rubaes, Kaiya fell into a deep, peaceful sleep. The hard earth seemed inviting to her exhausted body. All she wanted to do was rest a bit…

_ROAR!_

Rubaes's deep, furious roar pierced the still night and seemed to echo on. Kaiya jerked her head awake, rolled over on her stomach, and reached blindly for her sheathed dagger. Her mind was in the midst of chaos. Tesu was shouting hoarsely, Rubaes was bellowing to both himself and Kaiya, and the sounds of inhuman noises muddled her drained mind.

Her hand suddenly made contact with the case with the emerald egg inside. Jumping up and holding it securely, Kaiya cleared her mind and tried vainly to make since of Rubaes's wild outburst.

_Murderers! Faithful servants of Him—creatures of shadows! Shattered eggs, broken oaths! A name that reeks of death and betrayal! A name that death itself follows!_

_Rubaes!_ Kaiya cried in alarm. Darkness shrouded her vision and harbored the enemy.

"_Brisingr!"_ she shouted. The strange oval on her palm seemed to glow brightly. Red flames streaked towards the ground from her free hand to form a scarlet fire. Then she whirled around immediately, feeling as if she could collapse on the spot.

"Thievessss of our master," a hooded creature spat to Tesu. Both had swords drawn and ready to attack in an instant. Tesu glanced at Kaiya for a quick second and commanded, "Kaiya, take the case and go!" But another shorter creature was advancing towards Kaiya slowly.

Another earsplitting roar from Rubaes caused the creature to reel around and snarl, "Oh yessss, the dragon hassss grown. It is unfortunate we will have to kill you and your Rider."

"Never," Kaiya hissed.

"It is death or joining our great masssster," the creature continued. It drew its sword and started toward Kaiya once more, "Choose your fate."

_Murderer!_ Rubaes roared thunderously. Kaiya dove for her sword in a flash and stood back up. The case lay at her feet, the flames casting crimson shadows on it. Behind her, the sounds of sword clashing against sword could be heard easily.

"Murderer," she spat in a low tone, echoing Rubaes's venomous words.

"Then you have chossssen death," the creature retorted. It raised its sword, ready to strike…

_NO! Death of the Shur'tugal, end of the Riders! Dragonless Riders, Riderless Dragons! All reek of the death that has been spilled by the servants of Him! _Rubaes roared in fury. Suddenly he was in front of Kaiya, his ivory teeth bared in a low growl.

"_Rubaes, no!"_ Kaiya shouted aloud.

_Get on._

Kaiya didn't hesitate; she slipped into the hollow where his neck and shoulders joined. And before the hooded creature could strike, Rubaes had pushed off powerfully from the ground and started into the night sky, the case and her sword safely in his front claws.

Icy cold wind pressed at her and took her breath away as they flew even higher. Kaiya struggled in keeping her arms fastened tight around Rubaes's neck while holding her sword. The scarlet flames from below soon became nothing more than a tiny flicker of light in a sea of ebony.

As a horrifying thought struck Kaiya, her face suddenly went pale. _Rubaes, we left Tesu back there to fight off those things by himself!_

_It__was necessary. _said Rubaes with a hint of regret.

Kaiya spent the rest of their riding time trying only to keep from falling off. Fighting off the exhaustion that had been building up, Kaiya buried her face in the Rubaes's tough red scales. She shouldn't have started that fire… if only she had been strong enough to fight that creature!

They rode on until the first light of dawn could be seen on the horizon, turning the black sky a light purple color. Eyes closed, Kaiya let the sound of Rubaes's beating wings calm her chaotic mind. Tesu would be just fine…he _had_ to be…

Suddenly she was awake that Rubaes was gliding down towards the earth at last. Forcing her eyes open, Kaiya squeezed her dragon's neck for comfort and awaited their landing.

It was surprisingly smooth. As soon as the Rubaes came to a stop, Kaiya felt herself sliding off in shear exhaustion. Her legs buckled and she came crashing towards the grass. The sword fell with a thud and landed in the dewy grass, shimmering slightly.

Attempting to stand back up, a bitter pain ran up her legs and to her inner thighs. Horrified, she touched her pants to find it wet with blood.

_Damn…it,_ she murmured weakly. _Rubaes…I just need to rest a bit…_ Her hands found the case and wrapped around it tightly.

Rubaes curled up beside Kaiya in response and laid his head on her. _I am sorry, my human.

* * *

_

_What is all of the commotion down there about, Eragon?_ Saphira was soaring in the clouds peacefully, making sure to keep a keen eye on the group traveling below her.

_Haldin says some of the watchmen spotted something flying in the middle of the night. It couldn't have been you: the elves that saw it say it was much smaller than you._ Eragon informed her.

_Should we fly ahead and see what we can find?_ asked Saphira. There was a long pause as Eragon explained their plan to Haldin, but finally Eragon agreed. Saphira plunged down towards the ground, and as soon as Eragon scrambled on, they took flight once more.

The wind was still chilly from the night as Eragon first started searching the ground. They traveled farther along, dipping down slowly and inspecting the earth for anything out of the ordinary…

_Saphira, what's _thatEragon suddenly gasped, pointing downwards. A crimson object lay curled up around something else.

_I am not sure; let's land,_ Saphira suggested. Without waiting for a response, she dipped down and landed nearby. Eragon bounded off and started forward cautiously, his hand tightly gripping the hilt of Zar'roc.

It was a crimson dragon. Eragon took a wild step backwards and said to Saphira, _It's a dragon!_

Eragon walked softly closer, his brow furrowed in thought. Had it been one of the two in Galbatorix's possession? Not too eager to go any closer to the menacing-looking beast, Eragon looked around the creature to see what it was shielding.

_It's a—_

Suddenly Eragon was interrupted as Rubaes uttered a loud roar. Eragon stumbled backwards immediately, while Saphira growled threateningly and ran to protect her Rider.

Kaiya moaned softly, her eyes fluttering open, and cried out in alarm. A monstrous sapphire dragon towered over her, Rubaes growling all the while. Behind the dragon stood a boy—Kaiya had to do a double take—could that be _him?_

An odd new voice suddenly filled her head, and Kaiya stared at the dragon. _What is your name, small human, and will you tell your dragon not to attack?_

_M-My name is Kaiya,_ Kaiya managed to murmur. _And my dragon… is named Rubaes. I will tell him what you have said if you would… tell me what your Rider's name is._

Saphira blinked in surprise and answered cautiously, _Eragon._

Kaiya nodded in understanding and then murmured to Rubaes, _Stop Rubaes… they will not harm us…_

Rubaes growled disapprovingly, but turned away and placed his head on her shoulder. Kaiya looked up at the brown haired boy and smiled faintly, "I-I have been waiting for you." Then she let her head fall back down and eyes close, finally able to get the rest she needed.


	10. The Return of Murtagh and Arya

_A bit of a short chapter ahead. Ah, well. Reviews, please!_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter Ten

Eragon looked at the unconscious girl and back to Saphira, a frown across his face. _What did she mean by 'I have been waiting for you'?_

_Her name is Kaiya, and her dragon's name is Rubaes._ Saphira said knowingly, ignoring Eragon's question. _She sounds weak and I am not sure what to do with her; I suggest we do not question her dragon until she has regained consciousness. Until then we should probably take her with us back to the others._

Though startled that Saphira had spoke with the girl, Eragon nodded and knelt down beside her. A sword was nearby, but clutched tightly in her hands was a slightly large wooden case. Letting his curiosity get the best of him, Eragon slid it carefully out of her grip and started to undo the latches.

Suddenly he let out a small yelp as Rubaes spun around and uttered a loud growl, his red eyes flashing angrily. _You should not meddle with things that are not of your concern, human._

_I was just…I mean…_ Eragon stammered.

Rubaes glared at Eragon for a few more seconds before turning away, muttering, _Very well, see what is inside._

Warily eying the dragon, Eragon lifted up the top and let it fall back. His brown eyes widened in astonishment, and he shut the case instantly. _We should not linger here Saphira; we have stumbled upon the last known egg and the person who stole it._

_Then we are in danger here; let us leave now._ Saphira replied with sudden energy. Eragon nodded grimly and stood back up, looking over Kaiya more thoroughly. Then he turned towards Rubaes and questioned awkwardly, _What is wrong with her?_

_Our journey from Urú'baen has kept us constantly worried. We had traveled nonstop for the entire day when _they_ attacked._ Rubaes's voice turned bitter at the mention of the hooded creatures. _Kaiya was too exhausted to fight; we were forced to leave the man in order to escape. I flew the entire night to get away, but Kaiya was injured from the flight._

Eragon winced as he remembered _his_ first time flying. _But who attacked you?_

Rubaes snarled in remembrance and replied darkly,_ Servants of Him, disguised as hooded creatures—_

_—The Ra'zac._ Eragon finished softly. _Would you allow Saphira to carry your Rider and you follow behind? She cannot ride again until her wounds are healed and a saddle is made to fit you._

Rubaes reluctantly agreed, and soon they started off to reach the elves. Eragon rode on Saphira, who carried the unconscious girl carefully in her claws. Rubaes trailed closely behind, Kaiya's sword and the case bearing the egg in his own claws.

Eventually they arrived at their destination. Saphira landed awkwardly, and Eragon jumped off immediately to relieve his dragon of her extra burden. Lifting her up, the boy couldn't help but notice how light she felt. Suppose she was worse off than Rubaes had thought? He didn't seem to notice the commotion that the elves had been making before their arrival.

"Eragon Shadeslayer! What is this?" Haldin suddenly asked in alarm. He had appeared, it seemed, out of nowhere, the smile that had been on his face moments before gone.

Rubaes growled threateningly, causing Haldin to take a half step backwards.

Kaiya still in his arms, Eragon strode past Haldin to where a makeshift tent had been set up. "This is the thief who you have spoken of, also the newest Dragon Rider."

Haldin stared after Eragon in puzzlement, then started after him. "How is this possible?" he asked.

Eragon shrugged and continued on, ducking down slightly to avoid a white sheeting that was used as the door to the tent. Suddenly his eyes widened and he nearly dropped Kaiya.

"Arya? Murtagh?" he choked out, gripping Kaiya tighter.

Haldin ducked through the tent and said with a slight smile, "Oh yes, about that—"

Murtagh was standing rather unsteadily with his shirt off, his head bandaged as well as his bare chest. A few elves stood around Arya, whose arm was currently being bandaged. In the corner were the Twins, an identical scowl across both of their cross faces. All looked up at Eragon when they heard his voice.

He felt his cheeks grow hot when Arya looked at him, realizing that he was holding a girl in his arms. Murtagh let a smile cross his face, and he nodded in greeting. The Twins merely deepened their scowl and looked disapprovingly at Eragon.

Eragon turned to Haldin, "She needs to be healed. From what Rubaes—her dragon—told me, she is only injured from her flight, though she is also exhausted."

Haldin nodded and instructed him to lay her down, which Eragon obeyed rather quickly. Then the elves that had mended Arya started to examine the unconscious girl.

"—Nothing serious; we dressed her wounds and cleaned her up, though she will be sore—"

Kaiya groaned softly and tried moving her strangely stiff body. When she finally managed to open her eyes, everything seemed to be spinning. She groaned once more and tried remembering where she was.

"Jevden…Tesu…" she mumbled in a dazed tone. And then everything went flooding back to her. Kaiya gasped and forced her head up, breathing fast. Above her she saw Eragon and an unfamiliar face looking relieved.

Forcing herself to stand up, Kaiya pressed a hand to her head as if to stop the pounding headache that was making its presence known. "W-Where is Rubaes? I need to talk to him," Kaiya asked shakily.

"He is outside," Eragon replied with a slight frown.

Kaiya started towards the tent exit, though Haldin suddenly asked, "Where are you going? You need rest if you want your wounds to heal."

Not bothering to look at him, Kaiya muttered testily, "Never stopped me before." She continued on, cringing as her legs started to throb painfully. Haldin gave Eragon a questioning look, to which Eragon shrugged and started after the girl in concern.

Suddenly Murtagh appeared from the other side of the tent. Kaiya stopped in her place, mouth open slightly.

_Murtagh…_

"What are you doing here?" Kaiya asked abruptly. Murtagh frowned and peered over her shoulder at Eragon, eyebrows raised.

"Never mind," Kaiya said quickly, "Your name is Murtagh, right?" She glanced at his bandaged head, her mind going back to her vision of him…

"It happened, didn't it?" Kaiya whispered. "My vision, the Urgals… how did you escape?"

An angry look suddenly appeared across Murtagh's face, "How did you know about that?" He gave Eragon an accusing glare, who shook his head in confusion.

"I think," Haldin spoke up gently, "that we need to talk."


	11. Friends or Foes?

_Another short-ish chapter ahead. There's a bit more of the Ancient Language included-there's still that empty gap as to how Kaiya can speak it. Enjoy!_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter Eleven 

Gingerly touching her bandaged leg, Kaiya shook her head to Haldin's question. "I cannot explain everything until I go back for Tesu—my brother." His mere name caused a pang in her chest, remembering how she so easily left him behind to fend for himself. She snapped her eyes closed instantly and took several slow, deep breaths to calm herself.

Haldin gave Kaiya a troubled look, which Eragon and Murtagh easily observed. "I am afraid that it is impossible for you to go alone, not until we learn how you managed to capture the dragon eggs and where your loyalties lie."

Kaiya's eyes flew open and anger pulsed throughout her body. "No!" she cried bitterly. "Tesu is the only person I have left! If I do not go back for him, then his death shall be by my own hands, and I can't handle another loss!"

_What is the matter, Kaiya? _Rubaes suddenly asked suspiciously, _Have we stumbled upon our enemies or our allies?_

_If my dreams were true, then these people are our allies. We must go back for Tesu now, though, if we wish to see him alive again._

_No,_ Rubaes snarled in a dangerous tone. _They have caught on to our trail and will track us until we are dead. Going back would merely make our death dates sooner._

Kaiya sent her fist crashing down to her leg, causing an unfelt, brutal pain to pulse through her leg once more. Furrowing her brow, she yelled angrily, "_Then our deaths shall be sooner than we expected!"_

_I will not allow you to be placed in danger again, not after that ambush. _Rubaes hissed stubbornly, and he blocked out Kaiya's seething responses.

"Aiedail, aí Shur'tugal gata vanta!" Kaiya cried. Turning towards the bewildered-looking Haldin, she continued, "Eka weohnata néiat haina ono! Eka aí fricai un Shur'tugal!

_(A/N: Aiedail, a Rider lacks passage! I will not harm you! I am a Rider and a friend!)_

Slowly, Haldin nodded his head in understanding, knowing that Kaiya could not lie in the Ancient Language. Eragon also understood what she had said and gazed at her in amazement.

"Eragon shall inspect the land from his dragon for this Tesu. But we must know two things: where was he last and what attacked you?" Haldin replied. A slight frown crossed Eragon's face at the mention of his name, but he made no comment.

"We were traveling along Lake Tüdosten the entire night. I-I am not sure what they are called, but Rubaes called them Servants of Him—creatures of shadow. They were two hooded creatures."

"The Ra'zac," Eragon spat angrily. His hands by his side were white from being clenched so hard.

Turning towards Eragon, Haldin instructed in a stern voice, "Anything unusual and come right back."

* * *

Eragon shook his head in agreement and started out of the tent, leaving Kaiya, Haldin, and Murtagh alone for discussion. 

The evening sun shone hotly on the back of Kaiya as she sat next to Rubaes, her head resting against his massive crimson body. Eyes closed, she tried in vain to focus on anything other than Tesu. Worried thoughts bombarded her mind and sent it into a fresh wave of panic.

_Why do you show such anxiousness for this boy?_ Rubaes asked in concern.

Kaiya looked up at him angrily, _And why do you no concern for this? Tesu has always been there, and if it weren't for him, I would have never made it this far. How do I repay his deeds—I send him to his death!_

_Death is of no great concern to me, human. _Rubaes muttered simply, ruffling his wings and looking away.

Wisely choosing not to reply, Kaiya arose from her position and looked to the horizon. Haldin and Murtagh had filled in the gaps of her knowledge of Eragon, and in return she had told much of her part. The one gap in the story that was missing was how Arya, Murtagh, and the Twins had appeared.

"Eragon Shadeslayer should return in time. You should not be concerned," a voice spoke from behind her. Whirling around instantly, Kaiya's eyes found Arya. Her non-injured arm was settled tenderly on her bandaged arm.

"Oh, yes," she replied awkwardly. As Arya passed Rubaes warily, the elf looked to the horizon as well. "He is returning as we speak."

"What happened in the mountains?" Kaiya asked bluntly, choosing not to play games. "It was a sore subject that Murtagh avoided."

Arya gave a sigh and replied, "Following the battle, the leader of the Varden was killed by a group of stray Urgals. They captured Murtagh in the Twins, for what reason I do not know. Eragon asked me to follow them and I agreed. It did not take me long to catch up, but I had to attack at the right moment in order to even the odds."

"I killed the Urgals after a long battle. Instead of returning to the Varden, I choose to leave the mountains and locate Eragon. Returning to the Varden would only complicate matters. They are in a weak state at the moment, and it was best to avoid going back completely."

Kaiya studied Arya carefully and finally nodded. "And do you know who the new leader of the Varden shall be?"

Shaking her head, Arya said, "That I do not know. A possible choice could be Ajihad's daughter, Nasuada."

After a few quick moments of silence, Arya turned to leave. As the sound of her strangely soft footsteps died away, Kaiya let a sigh of her own escape.

_Hurry back Eragon._


	12. Tesu

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter Twelve

As the glowing sun started to sink slowly beyond the horizon, a large sapphire object appeared in the distance. A hard knot twisted in Kaiya's stomach immediately when the figure of Eragon came into view. Eyes closed tightly, Kaiya felt the rumble of the earth as Saphira landed nearby.

Eragon jumped off of Saphira and started towards the front of the beast. Unable to stand it anymore, Kaiya's eyes flew open and darted towards the boy. Tesu _had_ to be okay…She couldn't stand another death on her hands…

Saphira's gave Eragon an unreadable look and then took off to the orange skies. Lying on the ground in her place was an unmoving lump.

"Tesu!" Kaiya choked, falling down beside him. His once white shirt was tainted with blood and his sandy hair was flecked with scarlet. Resting her head on his chest, Kaiya felt a painful sob arise from her throat. First her father…then Jevden… now her only brother…

Both of her hands were wet with his faintly warm blood. A surge of fury swept throughout her body suddenly. Galbatorix had killed her family, but she wouldn't allow him to get away with it. Her haunting words came back to her as if she had uttered them moments before: _Du vrangr gata, garjzla, wyrda… Eka weohnata waíse du edoc'sil shur'tugal_.

"The wandering path, light, fate… I will be the unconquerable Dragon Rider," Kaiya murmured faintly above the wind. Nothing could hold her back now that she had nothing to loose… nothing except Rubaes.

"Kaiya?"

Lifting her head, Kaiya turned her head painfully towards Eragon. "What do you want," she whispered numbly, in a voice that sounded far from her own.

Eragon's intense brown eyes shone with pity for the sorrowful girl. "I am sorry about your brother." He came closer to her and Tesu; "He was barely alive when I first spotted him. He had a grave would in his chest from the Ra'zac."

"D-Did he say anything to you?" Kaiya asked, not daring to hope. Eragon shook his head regretfully, "I am sorry."

Rubaes settled his head on her shoulder to comfort her, his red eyes flashing with sorrow for his Rider. He felt no emotion for the death of this human, only knowing that his Rider was in terrible pain because of this.

_Eka weohnata waíse du edoc'sil shur'tugal_.

* * *

Tesu was properly buried in the pale moonlight. As Kaiya stared blankly at the freshly dug earth, she felt a new chapter of her life come to a close. The others stood behind her, giving their respects to the deceased.

Putting a hand on the soft dirt, Kaiya whispered in a sorrowful voice, "Moi du deloi." _(A/N: Change the earth) _Grass immediately appeared over the grave. A cluster of white flowers grew before her emerald eyes, giving the grave the appearance as if it had been there for many long years.

When Kaiya turned around and started walking away, she realized what she must do now. _Rubaes,_ she said determinedly to her dragon, _we must travel with Eragon and the elves to Ellesméra._

_Is this what you wish to do, Kaiya?_ Rubaes questioned.

Kaiya slowly nodded, _I suppose this is the only option that I am given. Where else could I go? I am a Dragon Rider and an open threat to King Galbatorix and the Empire._

_Then Galbatorix shall pay on behalf of my fellow dragons and the blood that has been spilt by his hands. He has been avoiding death for so long; he is nothing but a coward._ Rubaes declared angrily.

Kaiya nodded in agreement and looked to Eragon, who had the appearance of being deep in conversation with Saphira. Her thoughts then flickered to the emerald green egg being heavily guarded in one of the few tents set up. It seemed so strange to think that only four dragons were left in all of Alagaësia. She felt honored to be able to call Rubaes her own, and she couldn't understand how anybody could take advantage of being a Rider.

Tears stung her eyes as she forced herself to look back at the lonely grave, remembering the short time ago where she was looking upon the grave of Jevden. _Nothing turned out how it was supposed to. If I had stayed to fight, if I hadn't fled from those damn creatures, Tesu would be hear beside me._ Suddenly she was silently crying, realizing fully that she would never see her protective brother again. Rubaes was attempting to talk to her, but she instantly blocked him from her mind. She stared at his grave miserably, biting her lower lip as she felt her tears fall freely. _I am so sorry Tesu.

* * *

_

As dawn's first light appeared, Kaiya awoke with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Tears stung her eyes as she blindly reached out to get dressed for the day. She felt oddly different and detached from the rest of the world, a feeling that caused the tears to spill over.

Strapping her sword roughly to her side, she hastily wiped the tears from her face before going out of her tent. Emerging from the inside, she saw that there were only a few others awake. Kaiya looked around instantly for the familiar red dragon she sorely needed at the moment. _Rubaes, where are you?_

_Getting food,_ Rubaes replied uncomfortably. _I thought that you would hide in that thing until somebody forced you out. I shall come back immediately._

Another wave of loneliness overcame Kaiya as she muttered, _No, it is okay._ She fingered the cold hilt of her sword inattentively as she stared achingly at Tesu's secluded grave. _Damn it, Tesu, why did you have to leave?_ As tears pricked her eyes once more, she bit her lip and forced her thoughts away from that painful subject. _You can't start this up again… think about something different._

"So you decided to get up?"

Kaiya turned around instantly and found Eragon and Murtagh behind her, both holding waterskins in their hands. She nodded curtly, "Why would I not? I should be used to death now."

"Still does not make it any less painful," Eragon replied. "I also lost someone dear to me by the Ra'zac; I know how much it hurts." His voice was filled with plain emotion at the mention of the Ra'zac.

_Do not cry in front of them!_ Kaiya thought bitterly as she turned her head from them. "Do you?" she whispered, her voice quivering slightly. Her fists clenched as she snapped her eyes closed and gulped in fresh breaths. But it was to no avail; fresh tears spilled over and fell to the ground silently. "Damn it all," she cried, turning back towards the two startled boys. "Why the hell is this so hard for me to deal with? Tesu is _dead_. Just like everybody else."

"Everybody else?" Murtagh asked, taken aback by her sudden outburst.

"Mother…Father…Jevden…Tesu," Kaiya breathed. "All that I have left is Rubaes. Tell me you know how much it hurts."

A thunderous snarl from above sent all three looking upwards. Rubaes landed next to Kaiya, his scales glittering in the early sunlight. _Are these two humans bothering you?_

"_No, I-I am fine,"_ Kaiya muttered aloud, wiping away the tears from her face. _Come on Rubaes, I need to talk to Haldin about traveling with him._ After Kaiya excused herself from Murtagh and Eragon, she walked away with Rubaes trailing behind her.

"I take it her mood has not improved much," Murtagh observed with dry humor as they started towards the nearby Jiet River. Eragon shrugged as he glanced sympathetically backwards at Kaiya once more, "Guess not."


	13. Author's Note

_Author's Note:_

Hey everyone!

I know that I haven't updated in ages, and I'm truly sorry for that. The delay in writing took even longer after reading Eldest.

I'll admit, Eragon was a good book (hence the fanfic). But for me, Eldest was...let's just say, not nearly as good in my eyes. After reading Eldest, I was discouraged from writing more of _The Rider of Uru'baen_ because of a mixture of different reasons. But after rummaging through my documents, I decided to read a little of it.

Suddenly it sparked an idea. I still like the ideas I had coming, and the writing (although there were mistakes) was decent. It isn't for sure yet, but there is a chance of furthering this fanfic. Although for those who liked Eldest, I wouldn't have anything from the second book in it. Or the third.

I'll twist what I've read from the first book, and along with new ideas, make my own Eldest and Empire. A better one. But I think I'll continue Kaiya being the main character. (You don't really want to hear my own version of Eragon going to Ellesmera for a second time, would you?)

Thank you for all those patiently waiting for my update. There is definitely a chance of me continuing this fanfic.

-Shadow Riku


	14. Decisions

_Wow, finally I've gotten around to the next chapter. Yeah me!_

_hyperchica- thanks for reviewing! Also for the input for pairing. I've thought about what everyone wanted, and I think I've finally reached a decision. Whose going with who? You'll just have to keep reading to find out!_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter Thirteen

Tears numbly fell from Kaiya's pale cheeks as she left Murtagh and Eragon in embarrassment. Her tattered shoes kicked against a few stray pebbles as she trudged through the yellow grass towards the elves' tents. Rubaes slowly ambled beside her, his piercing scarlet eyes refusing to leave Kaiya's tear-streaked face.

_Will anything I say comfort you, Kaiya?_ he asked with an unmistakable sigh.

Kaiya slowly shook her head, wiping away the dampness from her face and exhaling deeply. _Trust me Rubaes, I just need time to sort through all of this._ Rubaes nodded in agreement, ruffling his large wings.

_Shall you speak to Haldin of our journeying with them? _he grunted.

_I suppose I shall, Rubaes. _Kaiya regretfully watched Rubaes depart with a single flap of his wings. He circled overhead once, twice, his graceful red body gliding through the air like that of an eagle's. Then he rose to the point where he was a small dot in a mass of azure and white. Kaiya tore her eyes away from her dragon, ambling leisurely until she found herself in front of a white tent.

"Haldin?" She ducked under the flap to find Arya and Haldin in the midst of a discussion. The raven-haired elf had her arms crossed over her poised body, hair tucked behind an ear to reveal it elegantly sharpened.

The conversation abruptly stopped as they saw Kaiya enter the tent. _Is it just me or is everybody making a habit of keeping me in the dark—keeping secrets from me?_ Her lips curved downward in slight annoyance, though she quickly erased all emotion of suspicion from her face.

"I shall go check on the Twins," Arya announced coolly, an air of music in her voice. She raised her perfectly slanted eyebrows to Haldin meaningfully, then turned and nodded briskly to Kaiya before leaving the tent. Haldin cleared his throat and watched as Arya departed.

"The two of us were discussing the issue of the remaining dragon egg and—,"

"—And me," Kaiya finished for him. Haldin nodded unashamed. "But what is the reason for meeting with me, Lady Kaiya?"

Lady Kaiya. The very words sounded indescribably foreign to her. How could he, an elf of Ellesméra with the top ranking of guiding Eragon to his kin, be addressing her so highly? She was the daughter of an innkeeper, that is, a thief and a woman of one of the Hadarac tribes. No, she could not possibly be worthy enough of such a title of nobility.

But Kaiya pushed aside Haldin's title for her at the moment to get straight to the point. "Rubaes and I," she started, choosing her words carefully, "have decided it best to travel with you and Eragon. We have no other place to turn to, especially with Galbatorix and his men hunting us."

"So you are, indeed, against the King of the Empire and all who associate with him?" Haldin inquired. Kaiya nodded instantly, blinking several times.

"Galbatorix is the reason of my father and brother's death, as well as the death of my dear friend and many others. Now he chooses to chase me down as if I am a mere deer waiting to be hunted. I will not allow this to happen; nor will I allow all of these deaths to be in vain. Galbatorix will pay for all the suffering he has caused," said Kaiya forcefully.

Haldin allowed a smile to cross his lips in satisfaction. "Very well, Lady Kaiya. In order to fight back against the Empire, you shall train along with Eragon in Ellesméra. Du Weldenvarden shall provide a sanctuary for you. All that needs to be done is to inform the Varden of your—complicating—arrival."

"Thank you, Haldin," Kaiya replied gratefully. She paused suddenly, wiping a bit of ebony hair from her eyes. "But, please, I do not deserve such a title as Lady Kaiya."

Haldin shook his head nonchalantly, "Nonsense. You are now a Dragon Rider, and ought to have a title deemed worthy of your status."

A tinge of red appeared across Kaiya's face in embarrassment, but she quickly turned away and exited the tent.

_Rubaes, we are now set for the elves, _she declared thoughtfully.

_Though we have yet to conclude whether or not it is of our best concern,_ added Rubaes from the skies. Kaiya silently agreed to his wise words.

_Saphira, what of her?_ asked Kaiya. _I spoke only briefly to her, but she seemed like that of a wise dragon. You have talked to her, yes?_

_I have talked to her a bit, _he admitted. _And this Eragon boy, what of he?_

_He seems to pity me for my loss, but I can see that he is eager to have another Rider to accompany him. I am interested in finding out more about him. _Kaiya murmured.

_And the boy he travels with?_ Rubaes growled to her.

_I do not know much about him, _admitted Kaiya. _He was taken captive by the Urgals, which makes me wonder if the King is interested in him. And for what reason he is against the Empire, I do not know. We have much to learn, Rubaes; it is not wise to be left without information in our situation. I suggest we learn as much as we can about our fellow travelers, and in the meantime I must start my training once more._


	15. Fighting Murtagh

_Emerald Tiara- So, uh, I guess I'm describing Kaiya's mood well then? Thanks for reviewing, and... ((turns on a light)) better?_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter Fourteen 

The rest of the afternoon quickly passed by, with a curious Kaiya exploring the rest of the elves' campsite. She slowly weaved around the half-dozen white tents, watching the others bustling with work. Crisp yellow grass gave way under her feet with a soft crunching noise. As she made her way past a rippling flap of a tent, she heard firm footsteps behind her.

"Do not get used to this," a deep voice commented thoughtfully.

Kaiya looked behind her shoulder to see that a certain brown-haired boy had just exited the tent. Her brow furrowed in question, waiting for him to catch up with her. "Get used to what?" she asked, puzzled.

Murtagh lifted a hand and waved it carelessly, "All of this—the tents, a _camp_, everything. The sole reason of us setting camp was for Arya, the Twins, and my arrival." He glanced down at her with the faintest hint of a smile across his handsome face. "Can you handle traveling for days at a time?"

Kaiya gave a dry laugh as they continued walking down the flattened path of grass. "It would not be the first time." She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes and added, "So you do not plan to return to the Varden?"

An unreadable expression crossed his face, his dark eyes flashing with pure emotion. "Perhaps…someday. Haldin has already set up plans to return the Twins to the Varden, however. Let me be the first to say that their presence will not be missed among us."

Kaiya nodded thoughtfully, her eyes sweeping across her surroundings. "I suppose I will not mind traveling once more, as long as it can keep my mind off of—certain things." There was an awkward pause in the conversation.

"I was hoping to continue my training, though I doubt I shall match the level of any here," she thought aloud.

"But you are a Dragon Rider," countered Murtagh. "Surely that must count towards something."

"Dragon Rider," laughed Kaiya bitterly. "It is true that I have the potential, but I lack the training needed." She kicked aside a group of pebbles, suddenly contrasting the dry grass with their smooth, gray appearance. They had reached the end of their temporary camp and now stood on the brink of the featureless landscape, colossal trees in the distance. A wind tugged at her dark hair, whipping it from her face and backwards.

"You doubt your skills," Murtagh observed. Kaiya frowned stubbornly, a tinge of pink arising on her cheeks. "I know of my skills," she replied heatedly.

_Do I?_ She suddenly thought back to her skirmish in Furnost. A girl of sixteen could not have possibly been capable of triumphing over three older boys. But she had done it. She had killed three boys all in a day. Guild emerged from the depths of her brightly lit eyes, remembering how she had felt no remorse for it at the time.

Kaiya quickly snapped out of her thoughts, seeing Murtagh's inquisitive look. He glanced away from her, unabashed, giving the appearance of him doing some thinking.

"Then show me your skills," he instructed the girl. She raised her eyebrows doubtfully at the question, quickly shaking her head in refusal. "I have yet to train even with a sword."

"So you shall learn," Murtagh said firmly. He looked back towards the camp and, picking out a familiar blonde person, called out. "Eragon!"

Kaiya felt her face turn a dark shade of red as she protested. "No, Murtagh, I will only embarrass myself!"

But it was too late; Eragon had already appeared by their side, glancing between the two curiously. "What is it, Murtagh?"

"Can you ready our blades to spar?" he asked. Eragon slowly nodded, and Murtagh unsheathed the sword from his waist, handing it to Eragon. Then he motioned for Kaiya to do the same.

Reluctantly, Kaiya unsheathed her own sword and watched as Eragon held Murtagh's sword in his hands and uttered, "Gëuloth du knífr." A red spark jumped from his fingers, and Eragon expertly ran it down the blade. Turning the sword around, he then ran it up the other side.

Eragon handed the sword back to Murtagh. Kaiya looked over her own sword in interest, saying, "I will do it to my own sword."

The two boys watched as she performed the Ancient Language perfectly, then fixed her own sword. Eragon nodded in approval at the finishing work, then watched wordlessly as Murtagh got into his fighting stance.

Once more, Kaiya felt the overwhelming sense of embarrassment. Her only past experience with the blade had resulted in the death of her opponents. But they were foolish and lacked the training and skill, while Murtagh was obviously well trained in fighting.

Taking in a deep breath, Kaiya allowed her already racing heart to relax before lowering herself to a fighting stance. Murtagh watched her with a sudden rigid demeanor, his eyes anticipating her every move.

Kaiya lunged into an attack, to which Murtagh parried the forceful change and countered it with one of his own. Taking a hasty step backwards, Kaiya and Murtagh engaged into a furious battle. The girl found herself managing to keep up with Murtagh, though something nagged at her mercilessly.

"_Stop holding back!"_ she snapped angrily, jumping backwards. Seeing his dubious expression, she ruthlessly hurled herself at him with another attack. _"Show me what you can do!"_

Murtagh nodded silently, then lunged into his own series of attacks. Kaiya felt herself stumbling to ward off them all. Metal clanged against metal sharply. With an angry gasp, Kaiya sidestepped Murtagh's assault and tried to turn to the offensive.

But it was to no avail; soon Kaiya felt herself solely concentrating on not getting beaten to a pulp. She felt Murtagh softening the blows at the final second, but the considerate action only caused a fire to burn within her greater.

Eragon watched from the side, noting Kaiya's skill. She was certainly stronger than he was when he first became a Dragon Rider, and the potential in her was great indeed. Still, she was no match for either Murtagh or Eragon. And soon Kaiya felt herself begin to rapidly lose strength.

After a particularly nasty blow, Murtagh suddenly called out, "Stop!" Kaiya nodded and stopped the fighting, breathing hard.

"You have been taught well."

Kaiya blinked in surprise at his words. _Taught well?_ He exceeded her in skill in every sense, not to mention the fact that he had probably bruised every inch of her body. She gave a gasp for air, then replied, "But you are in a whole other league than I." She quickly wiped the sweat from her forehead and attempted to control her breath.

Murtagh grinned, not nearly as winded as Kaiya. "That is true, but you will become stronger. You cannot expect to be as capable in so short a time."

"It was a good first battle," Eragon agreed. Though desperately disappointed, Kaiya nodded and returned her blade to normal once more. The three slowly made their way back to camp, the red sun sinking below the horizon.


	16. Visions

_Thanks to DragonMaster1992 and Draye for reviewing! Sorry for any delay in writing. I find that reviews urge me to start the next chapter when I'm being particularly lazy. Yet another good reason for reviewing!_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter Fifteen

When Kaiya awoke from a heavy sleep the next morning, she achingly stood up and exited her tent. The deep purple of twilight was swiftly turning to a softer shade, while the partial moon bathed the half-asleep land with its azure-tinted beams. A soothing wind swept through the crisp ocean of grass and tugged incessantly at her dark hair.

Much to her surprise, the camp was in full action. The elves were speedily dismantling their band of white tents. Others were busying themselves by strapping bundles on their elegant horses. Haldin stood in the midst of all the commotion, calling orders to his comrades and fixing his own horse for the journey ahead.

"You are up, Lady Kaiya."

Kaiya turned to find the elven lady Arya, a magnificently crafted bow in her hands and a bundle under her arm. She gave a faint smile and nodded to the elf. "Yes. Is there anything I must do to help out?"

"I believe that Eragon is waiting for you," said Arya after a moment. Kaiya's mouth curled downward in a puzzled frown. "Where might I find him?"

Arya pointed Kaiya to the other side of the campsite, to which Kaiya then excused herself and set off. As she grew closer, she could make out Eragon from a spot slightly away from the camp, along with a colossal Saphira and Rubaes.

As she finally reached the Dragon Rider and dragons, she appeared at Eragon's side and looked past his shoulder. "What are you doing?" she asked curiously.

"Saddlemaking," replied Eragon. "Haldin asked me to fit a saddle for Rubaes, considering we do not have much of a surplus on horses. He also instructed me to teach you in the art of flying." He grinned, finishing up his work and tugging at the leather saddle on Rubaes. A billow of dark smoke erupted from Rubaes as he snorted, turning to Kaiya.

_The boy has been telling me of his instructions to teach you to fly,_ he said, sharp ruby eyes glinting.

_So I have heard,_ Kaiya replied dryly. Her stomach twisted into a hard knot. Her previous wounds from Rubaes's flight had yet to heal, and here she was expected to ride again? The very idea left her feeling lightheaded.

But, on the other hand, she did not have much choice in the matter. She had already delayed much of her party's time. And how long would it take for the Ra'zac to catch onto their trail? There was no choice in the matter except to swallow her fear. What would Jevden have done?

"Then we shall begin," said Kaiya determinedly. "I do not wish to cause any longer of a delay."

Eragon smiled at the girl's courage. He could remember Saphira having to force him to fly with her a second time. Then again, the conditions then had been quite different. Kaiya could not allow her fear to control her; their circumstances would not allow it.

After clumsily climbing into the newly made saddle, Kaiya shifted in the leather saddle and felt the dim sensation of her healing thighs ache. "Are you sure that the saddle will protect me?" she asked nervously.

"I am sure of it," laughed Eragon. "While it is not much other than an extra layer of padding, it has served Saphira and I well enough."

Kaiya nodded, mouth dry.

"Remember to keep hold with your knees, and stay as close as you can to her back," advised Eragon. "Guide Rubaes with your thoughts and all shall go well."

_Are you ready for this?_ asked Rubaes while Eragon tightened the bands of the saddle around Kaiya's legs. She bit her lip anxiously. _I am_, she replied.

Rubaes crouched down, his large body trembling as he built up the power for his lift-off. Her hair flying backwards, Rubaes surged forwards into the air and gave a few massive strokes of his wings. Suddenly they were both in the sky, Rubaes circling and rising higher still. She dizzily tightened her grip with her knees and pressing her body firmly against Rubaes's glinting scales.

Their camp and everything surrounding it soon became mere pinpricks of white in a vast sea of yellow-green. Rubaes had finally reached the point of leveling out. The amount of beats of his wings slowed, and soon the two were happily gliding effortlessly in the morning sky.

And suddenly an immense sapphire object whizzed past the two of them, throwing Kaiya off guard and causing a disgruntled snort from Rubaes. Kaiya followed Saphira's flight, watching how easily Eragon held to Saphira's every graceful move. The boy rode atop his dragon as an exemplary horseman rides his stallion. Every move was perfectly in sync, and one could easily see how the two worked well together.

_This is amazing,_ Kaiya announced to Rubaes. He growled his approval. _So you enjoy this?_

_Of course!_ she replied enthusiastically.

_Ah, but you have yet to scratch the surface of my capabilities,_ he said. Suddenly he was dipping down and circling, followed by a complete roll in midair. Kaiya instantly threw her arms around his thick neck, squeezing her eyes shut as he finished his maneuver.

_And how was that?_ he asked, returning to his glide once more.

_What did you do that for?_ Kaiya snapped, finally releasing her iron grip on his neck.

_It was a move Eragon instructed me to show you,_ he replied coolly. _It is one of the simplest techniques I can use if we are attacked in midair. You must ready yourself for something such as that._ She unwillingly acknowledged this answer with a slow nod.

It was some time later that the two landed, followed quickly by Saphira and Eragon. By then the sun had been up for quite some time, and the bright orange glow had already warmed the day considerably. Kaiya started to dismount Rubaes somewhat awkwardly.

Without warning, Kaiya felt her vision blur. Her legs buckled, and she felt herself plunge to the ground and land heavily. An outraged roar escaped from Rubaes. Eragon jumped instantly from Saphira, reaching her side in seconds and grabbing Kaiya by her shoulder.

* * *

_The vast room was dark and gloomy, with much of it basked in ebony murkiness. The room was empty save three beings, one sitting atop a throne with two others before him. The man had a cruel expression across his pale face, contrasting greatly with his pure black hair. His unusually dark eyes shone with great hatred at the two beings before him._

"_You dare show your presence in front of me when I clearly told you that you were not to come back empty handed?" Galbatorix snarled viciously. The two hooded creatures bowed humbly, though there was a certain sneer in one's voice as it replied to the seated man._

"_Our apologizesssss, my lord," it hissed. "We killed the ssssspare, yet the Rider escaped by the filthy dragon."_

"_Yes, the dragon," replied the man, a sense of dry humor in his expression. "It seems that you took longer than expected in finding the traitors, and now you tell me that an egg has hatched for one of them/" He suddenly rose from his seat, eyes flashing deadly. "Do you know what this could mean?"_

"_There issss no reason to raise voicessss," the other Ra'zac replied sourly._

"_Yessss," the other agreed. "It isss true that the dragon hasss hatched, but the Rider isss weak enough to manipulate. Sssshe will be easy enough to overcome."_

"_She?" Galbatorix growled. "You mean an egg hatched for a female?"_

"_Yessss," one replied stiffly. "Though her dragon might cause problemsssss."_

_

* * *

_

"Kaiya! Kaiya!" Eragon called hoarsely. He shook her shoulder roughly, turning her to where she lay on her back. Her jade eyes shone with unusual blankness, clouded over and darker than normal. She was breathing deeply and her eyes were only half open. A small cut had appeared by her right eye from the fall, and the wound had begun to bleed slightly.

_Kaiya!_ Rubaes growled to his fallen Rider.

_

* * *

_

"_How so?" Galbatorix asked._

"_The animal isss as you predicted it," one replied. "Yessss, the red beast will cause problemssss."_

"_And why did you not go after the girl?" asked Galbatorix angrily. "She would have been easy enough to capture, no doubt. Why return when you could have ended this situation immediately?" Once more the King's voice was glazed over with fury._

"_We have reason to believe that sssshe has accompanied the boy Rider. It would take more than usss to attack them all, unfortunately. But they are on the move. It would not take much to recapture the remaining egg and the othersssss."_

"_Who all is the Rider traveling with?" Galbatorix demanded._

"_By our—contacts—we are informed that sssshe is with the Rider Eragon, as well assss the ssson of Morzan, the elf formerly in our control, and a handful of elves."_

"_Might I add, my King, that the Rider might take some…persuasion," the other chimed in. "It issss nothing that you cannot handle—,"_

"—_But the dragon," the other continued. "Ssssuch a fine creature to possess on the ssside of the King. Sssuch a creature would ssso easily kill any and all in a heartbeat for hisss Rider and think nothing of it. Manipulate the Rider and you have manipulated the dragon."_

_

* * *

_

"Damn it Kaiya, come on," Eragon muttered desperately.

"Eragon!" Murtagh had slowly made his way up to them. Suddenly he caught sight of Kaiya and appeared by Eragon's side in a flash. "What happened Eragon?" His tone had changed suddenly, now full of alert and worry.

"I do not know," replied Eragon truthfully, his teeth clenched. So far he had yet to dissuade Rubaes from moving away from the girl's side. No matter what reassurance he offered the bitter dragon, it refused to let him so much as touch Kaiya.

Murtagh reached for Kaiya. Rubaes instantly gave a piercing roar of defense, lashing out at the boy. But Murtagh took a different approach then Eragon, snatching Kaiya instead of recoiling. He stood up with the limp girl in his arms, his dark brow furrowed in a scowl.

"What happened?"


End file.
